Santa Monica Pier is about to double as a World Cup party zone, with Michelob Ultra rolling out a star-studded, 21+ pop-up in June. The temporary fan hub will debut with an invite-only kickoff hosted by Kevin Hart, then shift into a public run that lines up with the first Los Angeles match of the tournament. Organizers are promising live sets from Snoop Dogg, DJ Pee .Wee and Disco Lines, along with a drone show and soccer-themed fan experiences designed to turn the pier into a full-on match day hangout.
Star-studded kickoff and local programming
According to LA Galaxy, Michelob Ultra created the Pitchside Club in collaboration with the LA Galaxy Foundation, with an invite-only opening night set for Thursday, June 11 and public sessions scheduled from June 12 through June 25. The opening event is slated to feature Kevin Hart as host, performances by Snoop Dogg, DJ Pee .Wee and Disco Lines, and appearances by soccer legends. Once the doors open to the public, the program is expected to include soccer-themed interactive games, jersey customization, a shoot-on-goal experience with a soccer legend, and a photo op with the Superior Player of the Match Trophy.
Brand rollout, drone show and sweepstakes
Anheuser-Busch’s newsroom notes that Michelob Ultra is the official beer sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026 and that its “Pitchside LA VIP” sweepstakes ran from May 20 to May 31 for U.S. residents 21 and older. The company states that invite-only VIP winners will receive first access to the club, and that U.S. men’s national team player Christian Pulisic will narrate a drone show tied to the U.S. vs. Paraguay match. Official rules, prize details and contest terms are available on the brand’s contest page, the company adds.
Why Santa Monica?
Visit Santa Monica includes the Pitchside Club among the city’s slate of World Cup activations at the pier and describes it as a coastal counterpart to larger fan fests planned around Los Angeles. The tourism materials highlight the pier’s oceanfront setting and its role as a visitor base for match day activity, along with transit connections that make it a convenient launch point for fans heading to stadium events. Organizers are selling the experience as a different style of match watching, more beach party than parking lot tailgate.
How to attend
Entry to the public Pitchside Club is free, limited to guests 21 and older, and requires timed RSVPs, with the schedule and RSVP information posted on the Pitchside Club page, per LA Galaxy. Sponsors emphasize the age restriction and sweepstakes terms, which exclude residents of Maine, Maryland and South Dakota, according to the brand’s official materials. Even without VIP status, fans can expect DJs, daily match screenings and interactive activations during the public run.
The two-week Pitchside Club is one of several big-name brand activations expected to pop up along the Los Angeles coastline during the tournament, and the celebrity lineup alone is likely to draw both visitors and locals to the pier. For now it is a focused, star-powered excuse to turn a World Cup match into a beach day, complete with the crowds and charged-up fan energy that come with it.
