Mayor Karen Bass delivers State of the City speech on LA’s prep for big sporting events, including FIFA World Cup, Olympics

LOS ANGELES () — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass delivered a State of the City address on Monday, speaking on a wide range of topics, including immigration and the major sporting events coming to L.A. over the next three years.

Normally, the State of the City is delivered in the spring, but as the city of Los Angeles embarks on three years of hosting the biggest sporting events on the planet, Mayor Bass chose to deliver two speeches this year.

Monday’s speech focused on how the city is preparing and how everyone will be able to take part, though Bass also continued to speak out against ongoing immigration raids in the city.

WATCH: Mayor Bass State of the City address | FULL SPEECH

First up is the women’s U.S. Open in the Pacific Palisades in June, then just days later, the FIFA World Cup, when eight matches will be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Then, the Super Bowl in 2027 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.

“It’s my goal that when the world comes to Los Angeles, they will see the best of our city. Not just the stadium, but they will see the culture, the history and the art embedded into the Coliseum and Exposition Park,” Bass said.

Questions remain about how the city will balance its everyday services with preparations for international visitors.

Although there are many challenges facing Los Angeles — the budget deficit, homelessness crisis, and fire recovery, to name a few — that wasn’t the primary focus on Monday.

“I have always believed that Los Angeles can move faster than bureaucracy, care deeper than politics, and think bigger than the limits we’ve been told to accept, and I believe that more fiercely now than ever,” Bass said. “And L.A., I know we will be ready to welcome the world for global sporting events, historic celebrations and defining moments that will unfold in our streets, in our neighborhoods and across the city.”

Bass shared that all 34 days of the World Cup will be broadcast on large screens in all 15 council districts, and there will also be soccer clinics, food and other programming so everyone can take part in the games, even if you don’t have a ticket.

“These moments will not belong only to those who can afford the seats. Have you seen how much they cost? Well, they’re going to belong to all of us, because that’s why I’m so excited to announce today that we will host more than 100 watch parties and events throughout every city council district during the World Cup, and they will all be free, and they will all be open to the public,” Bass said. “Because I want Los Angeles to know when we say games for all, we mean for all of you. Everyone here should participate, and every neighborhood should benefit when these games come to our city.”

Reflecting on the Palisades Fire just over one year ago, Bass said recovery should never feel harder than the disaster itself. On the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement operations, Bass said no leader who loves her city stays silent while Angelenos are terrorized on their neighborhood playground.

Bass went on to say the presence of ICE in Los Angeles must end.

Some Angelenos raised an eyebrow at the timing of Bass’s non-traditional State of the City speech.

Of course, it’s an election year, and Monday just happens to be the first day candidates can file paperwork with the City Clerk declaring their intention to run for office.

So far, Bass is facing former LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner, Rae Huang and Spencer Pratt in her reelection campaign for L.A. mayor. The primary election is in June.