As the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ officially kicks off in North America, Los Angeles’ Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) has deployed a new hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet into daily operation in support of regional transportation services for one of the biggest global sporting events - marking a major step forward in clean transit innovation across Southern California for thousands of residents and travelling football fans alike.
Powered by Ballard, the five-unit fleet sees zero-emission buses supplied by manufacturer New Flyer operating in coordination with regional partners, including LA Metro, to help move supporters efficiently between the Inland Empire, Orange County, and World Cup fan areas at one of the tournament's premier venues - SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
During the tournament's six-week duration, the Xcelsior CHARGE FC™ buses will support reliable, high-capacity, decarbonized transportation services for spectators to and from matches, including the United States' highly-anticipated opener with Paraguay.
The FIFA World Cup™, hosted across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, is expected to draw unprecedented international attention, with approximately 180,000 visitors anticipated in the Los Angeles area alone. Staging its first match on June 12, SoFi Stadium will play host to eight tournament games – with five group stage matches and three knock-out games, including a quarter-final – all of which will have fan travel supported by RTA’s fuel cell bus fleet.
New Flyer's Xcelsior CHARGE FC™ buses integrate Ballard’s FCmove®-HD+ 100 kW fuel cell engine, which delivers proven performance, durability, and reliability. Its compact, easy-to-integrate design provides an efficient solution for public transit operations, while robust proton-exchange membrane (PEM) technology delivers the power, range, and efficiency required for RTA’s service routes. The fuel cell’s proven stack lifetime further ensures dependable operation throughout the vehicle’s service life.
There are now nearly 250 Xcelsior CHARGE FC™ fuel cell buses in regular service across Canada and the U.S., providing zero-emission public transport to passengers daily in states and provinces including Nevada, Washington, and Alberta - and all are powered by Ballard fuel cells.
RTA's deployment is particularly significant as the operator advances its long-term vision to transition its entire public transit fleet of approximately 400 buses toward hydrogen fuel cell technology, including future adoption of the Xcelsior CHARGE FC™ platform.
This shift demonstrates how large-scale events like the World Cup can accelerate innovation in public transit while showcasing scalable zero-emission solutions to a global audience.