How Metro transformed nearly 200 buses into rolling celebrations for the World Cup

Have you spotted one of Metro’s brightly colored World Cup buses rolling through Los Angeles?  

The eye-catching design has been hard to miss in recent weeks. As the official Public Transit Provider of the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host, Metro has transformed 196 buses with special wraps, turning the agency’s familiar orange fleet into moving celebrations of one of the biggest sporting events on the planet.   

For Metro, this campaign was about more than eye-catching graphics.   

“In partnership with the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, we are thrilled to bring the excitement of the World Cup to Angelenos and visitors alike.  What better way to highlight Metro as the best way to get to matches, official fan zones and celebrations across the county than to bring the celebration to our buses,” says Kristie Crawford, Director of Marketing. 

Getting those buses ready for the road required much more than applying a giant sticker.   

“It required a little over 1,000 square feet of vinyl to wrap both sides and the rear of each 40-foot bus,” says Bryan Papp, Director of Operations-Transit at Outfront – Metro’s advertising partner for the bus project, which handled the installation process.   

The pressure-sensitive vinyl uses an adhesive backing and features a UV-protective overlaminate coating designed to withstand the elements – including the scorching Southern California sun – and help prevent fading over time.   

Each bus required 10 vinyl panels measuring approximately 112 inches high and 48 inches wide. Installers carefully aligned each section with a half-inch overlap to ensure faces, letters and graphics lined up correctly across the length of the bus.   

While the finished product may look simple, it was the result of months of coordination, hundreds of hours of labor and the efforts of crews working across 10 Metro bus divisions. Installation began in mid-March, with crews wrapping buses at bus yards throughout LA County.   

Before the first piece of vinyl touched a bus, crews cleaned the bus with a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water to ensure there’s no dust, oil or road grime on the bus surface. Then, they reviewed layout diagrams and took detailed measurements to ensure every graphic landed in exactly the right place. The graphics were then laid out in sequence and carefully positioned before the first panel was applied.   

Then came the painstaking work.   

A team of two to three installers, with good eyes and steady hands, typically spent eight to nine hours wrapping each bus. They used specialized squeegees to smooth out air bubbles and align seams. And instead of using a traditional knife, installers relied on a cleaver cutter - a guarded blade that helped make clean cuts around doors, windows, vents and lights without damaging the bus’s paint.   

One of the most challenging areas was the curbside door, where installers had to navigate intricate cuts while maintaining a seamless appearance. Another difficult section was the rear of the bus, which contains multiple vents and other details that required precise trimming.  

Whenever possible, crews preferred working during cooler hours because heat can cause vinyl to stretch, making it more difficult to keep graphics aligned properly.   

The final step is one most riders never notice. After the graphics were installed, crews replaced every decal covered by the wrap, including safety decals, bus numbers, compressed natural gas labels, battery marking and more. Window graphics were also swapped for perforated material, known as window perf, which allows riders to see out while maintaining visibility and safety.   

Riders will see the wrapped buses throughout LA County. While some will operate near major World Cup destinations, the buses will continue serving communities across the Metro system and giving thousands the opportunity to experience them during the tournament – whether they’re heading to a match, a fan zone or simply going about their day.  

“We want riders to feel a sense of pride and excitement,” Kristie says. “Metro is part of the DNA of Los Angeles, and when people step onto a wrapped bus, we want them to know we’re celebrating the tournament with them.”