Timed to the 2026 World Cup, Sports Illustrated's Beyond the Pitch brought together sports, music, entertainment and fan experiences across five North American host cities, celebrating key moments throughout the tournament with headline performances, celebrity appearances and brand activations.
Los Angeles marked the launch of Beyond the Pitch, as Sports Illustrated transformed the iconic Hollywood Palladium into one of the city's premier World Cup Week celebrations. Hip-hop icon Nelly headlined the evening, joined by EDM duo TWINSICK, while athletes, entertainers and creators including Ryan Garcia, Kristin Juszczyk, Angel McCoughtry, Yung Gravy, Ari Kytsya, Michael Blackson, Harry Jowsey, Andreina Santos, Joey Zauzig and more gathered to kick off the tournament. Throughout the venue, partners Lenovo, Verizon, Champion, GMC, Aéropostale, FUNKO and BOSS delivered interactive fan experiences and premium hospitality.