Jan. 10 (UPI) — The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams will play their NFC wild card matchup in Glendale, Ariz., instead of Inglewood, Calif., due to the Los Angeles wildfires, the NFL announced.
The game will still kick off at 8 p.m. EST Monday at State Farm Stadium.
“In the interest of public safety, Monday’s Vikings-Rams wild card game has been moved from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., to State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals, the NFL announced today,” the NFL said.
“The decision was made in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs and the NFLPA.”
The wild card matchup will air on ESPN and ABC. Tickets went on sale early Friday morning for Rams season ticket holders and a few hours later for the general public.
Fires continued to burn Friday in Los Angeles County and Ventura County. More than 180,000 people have been impacted by evacuation orders. The Los Angeles medical examiner announced Thursday that 10 people died as a result of the fires.
“Every time we suit up, we’re the Los Angeles Rams,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford told reporters Thursday. “We play for the people in this community, the people that support us, and this week will be another example of that.”
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he reached out to Rams coach Sean McVay to offer support.
“I connected with him early on because I know about where he lives and he and a lot of those guys I have relationships with live,” O’Connell said of McVay. “The area we are talking about, there is a lot of people in a very small square radius. You just never know who is being impacted. I’ve had some dialogue with folks that lost everything.
“There are really no words you can say other than you are thinking of them, praying for them and hoping things start to turn here.”
Live: Coach Kevin O’Connell Press Conference https://t.co/7uMRowI0tm— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 9, 2025
Fires have not reached SoFi Stadium, but changed the air quality to dangerous levels throughout the area. State Farm Stadium is located nearly 400 miles east of SoFi Stadium.
The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, who were set to host the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday in Los Angeles, postponed that game because of the wildfires.
A game between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames, scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles, also was postponed. The Los Angeles Clippers are scheduled to host the Hornets on Friday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
