South Bay Phones Poised To Blast As World Cup Alert Test Hits Tomorrow

Cell phones across the South Bay are set to light up tomorrow, Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Pacific, when Alert SouthBay pushes out a live Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) test as part of FIFA World Cup 26 preparations. Officials stress this is only a test and no action is required, although the alert may blast loudly and appear on screens even if devices are silenced. U.S. residents can opt in for World Cup messaging by texting FIFALA26 to 888-777, while international visitors are urged to download the Public Safety by Everbridge app and subscribe to the FIFALA26 keyword for match-day updates.

What the test will do

The alert will go out to WEA-capable phones, tablets and smartwatches physically located in the targeted South Bay area and is designed to check regional alerting performance and how well it works with international devices, according to Alert SouthBay. The agency lists Carson, Inglewood, Torrance, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach among the participating cities, and notes that some devices just outside the intended zone might also get the alert because of carrier routing. Officials say the drill is meant to boost coordination among local agencies before match-day operations begin.

How to get FIFALA26 alerts

For U.S. phone numbers, signing up is as simple as texting FIFALA26 to 888-777. International visitors are encouraged to use the Public Safety by Everbridge mobile app and search for the FIFALA26 keyword to receive opt-in match-day messages. Everbridge and local partners have been promoting this channel as a backup, since some foreign devices may not receive WEAs consistently. Outreach materials from the City of Inglewood repeat the same sign-up steps for attendees and visitors, shown in city flyers and match-day notices. City of Inglewood

What to expect and safety tips

The test message will clearly include the words “THIS IS A TEST,” and officials emphasize that you do not need to respond or take any action. The sound and vibration are intentionally jarring so that, in a real emergency, people notice immediately. Alert SouthBay also advises anyone who keeps a hidden or secondary phone for personal-safety reasons to turn that device off before 1:00 p.m. to avoid drawing attention. If you do not receive the WEA at all, subscribing to FIFALA26 offers an extra opt-in path for match-day traffic and safety information.

Why this matters now

With World Cup matches expected to pull global crowds into the Los Angeles region, agencies say it is better to find any weak spots in the public-warning system now than during a real crisis. Cities around the South Bay have been pushing out newsletters, flyers and social posts to remind residents and visitors about the drill, as shown in municipal outreach. The exercise also lets officials see how WEAs and opt-in alerts perform side by side under real-world conditions before match days arrive.

Photos and the original notice were posted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Facebook, including images of the Alert SouthBay message and FIFALA26 instructions. The sheriff's post and Everbridge public support pages both offer guidance for downloading the app and subscribing to FIFALA26. For technical or accessibility questions, Alert SouthBay lists [email protected] as a contact.