By Miguel Gutierrez and Ed White
INGLEWOOD, California, June 29 (Reuters) – Police and firefighters providing public safety at the World Cup are proudly wearing special gold badges on their uniforms, embracing the global event and their place in it.
“I want to bring (the World Cup) back! Let’s go! Goal! Of course, the fever is here,” said Inglewood police officer Javier Mosley in front of the L.A. stadium in his city.
He has fast become an international soccer fan, after seeing the excitement in supporters coming to matches but for officers who are longtime football fans, “it’s been a dream come true.”
The badges, mostly gold-coloured and including FIFA26 motifs, are being worn by various public safety bodies, including Inglewood police, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, and the County of Los Angeles Fire Department.
Police inside the stadium seemed proud of their role during the Canada-South Africa match on Sunday.
One told Reuters he was happy to see people coming from around the world to an area he grew up in but which suffered tough times in the 1990s as poverty and violence soared. The much-revived area is now a happy place to visit, he said.
The badge design worn by Mosley is intended to represent the pitch and the sea of fans surrounding it. There are many other design choices agencies can select for their people.
“It catches the feeling of the SoFi Stadium,” said Mosley.
FIFA licensed badge-maker Smith and Warren to manufacture special World Cup badges for public safety agencies in the U.S. and Canada that are participating in tournament security. The badges can only be purchased by law enforcement.
“In soccer, there is nothing more iconic than the World Cup. In public safety, there is nothing more iconic than the badge,” said Smith and Warren. “We want this collection to be unique and stand apart and embrace the FIFA World Cup 26 rallying cry.”
Many layers of police and security surround and work inside the gigantic stadium. From Inglewood and county police to FBI and Homeland Security officers, visitors are never far from a cop. Bomb-sniffing dogs, some working for private security firms, are also seen at entrances.
Before the World Cup there were worries and complaints about the possible appearance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at matches and apprehension of stadium workers. “Kick ICE Out” was a rallying cry for some.
However, almost three weeks into the tournament there has not been much sign of ICE having a heavy presence and the atmosphere around the police is relaxed.
Mosley said he loved working at the stadium and providing a safe environment for fans in his city.
“It’s one of those bucket list things that, you know, I never thought that in my life as an early police officer that I would be able to host and be on the field,” said Mosley.
(Reporting by Miguel Gutierrez and Ed White; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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