World Cup fever taking over Venice Beach with stars like Ronaldinho, Mbappe and Chicharito fueling soccer’s revolution

On any given Sunday afternoon, the soundtrack of Venice Beach isn’t the crash of waves or the rattle of skateboard wheels.

It’s the thud of a soccer ball against concrete.

At 4 p.m. every Sunday, some of the best street soccer players in Los Angeles gather on the famed Venice Beach courts, turning a patch of asphalt steps from the Pacific Ocean into one of the most vibrant soccer scenes in America.

The growing attention is the focus of Barrios del Mundial (“World Cup Neighborhoods”), a new three-part English-language documentary series from content creator Gio Garcia that debuted June 10 on Instagram and TikTok.

And now, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup bringing eight matches to Los Angeles this summer, the spotlight on Venice Beach has never been brighter.

The series argues something many local players have believed for years: Venice Beach is more than a court. It’s a cultural institution.

Episode 1, “Venice Beach: El Barrio,” explores how the courts became a melting pot where soccer traditions from around the globe collide. The episode highlights the venue’s international reputation, a reputation built through appearances by stars such as Ronaldinho, Kylian Mbappé, Javier “Chicharito” Hernández and Diego Costa.