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San Francisco Bay Area, USA, 2026 World Cup City Guide
Everything you need to know about visiting the San Francisco Bay Area for the 2026 World Cup 🌉
✒️ By the worldcup-travel.com team | 📅 Updated 1 June 2025
Hello! Our city guide to the San Francisco Bay Area is going to help you figure out everything you need to know about visiting the Northern California region for the 2026 World Cup, including transportation to and from the destination, to and from other host cities, and to and from Levi’s Stadium (which is officially called “San Francisco Bay Area Stadium” by FIFA). We’ll guide you to finding somewhere to stay for the World Cup, car rentals, public transportation in and around the Bay Area, and much more.
Learn more about visiting San Francisco Bay Area for the World Cup
Football fans to outnumber tech bros in San Francisco Bay Area during the 2026 World Cup
San Francisco Bay Area, more commonly known as the Bay Area, is a region in Northern California encompassing nine counties and three major cities: San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. (When people say “The City,” they’re talking about San Francisco.) There are some of the richest companies in the world headquartered in the Bay Area, like Meta, so expect a higher price point for accommodations and car rentals, food, etc. Silicon Valley is responsible for some of the most innovative technological advances in the world, but the region is also where thousand-year-old Redwoods reign and coastlines of crashing waves beckon.
The Bay Area is a thriving sports hub for games as diverse as international rugby and sailing. Because of the area’s size, it can fit a lot of teams – they’ve got the NFL 49ers, the NBA Golden State Warriors, MLB’s Giants, and NHL’s The San Jose Sharks. And don’t forget the local soccer teams (see FAQs below). It’s got to be a good sign that Santa Clara Youth Soccer Park is right next door to San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. And there’s actually a really long history of football in the region with British ship crews playing matches as far back as the 1890s. Plus, in February of 2026, Super Bowl LX is coming to town.
San Francisco Bay Area 2026 World Cup FAQs
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San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (Levi’s Stadium) is located in Santa Clara, 40 miles south of Downtown San Francisco. That’s about an hour’s drive without traffic. Read more on our San Francisco Bay Area 2026 World Cup transport page.
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MLS: San Jose Earthquakes play at PayPal Park, a soccer-specific stadium in San Jose.
NWSL: Bay FC was founded only recently in 2023 and share PayPal Park with The Earthquakes.
USL: Oakland Roots and Sacramento Republic DC play in the USL Championship. And USL League 2 has a Northern California division of nine teams, including San Francisco Glens FC (founded in 1961) and San Francisco City FC in The City proper. USL W League also has a nine-team NorCal division.
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Los Angeles (351 miles stadium-to-stadium)
Seattle (834 miles stadium-to-stadium)
Vancouver, Canada (976 miles stadium-to-stadium)
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Six World Cup games will be played in San Francisco Bay Area: Five group games and one Round of 32.
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The weather in San Francisco Bay Area is pretty unpredictable. One day you could be roasting in the sun, the next, you need a jacket to fight back the cool fog.
The San Francisco Bay Area experiences mild summer weather during June and July, with average highs ranging from the low 60s°F to the low 70s°F (16-22°C). Pack layers and be prepared for cooler mornings and evenings thanks to the marine layer from the Pacific Ocean.
Which 2026 World Cup matches will be held in San Francisco Bay Area?
Match 8 – Saturday, June 13, 2026 – Group Stage (Group B)
Match 20 – Tuesday, June 16, 2026 – Group Stage (Group J)
Match 31 – Friday, June 19, 2026 – Group Stage (Group D)
Match 44 – Monday, June 22, 2026 – Group Stage (Group J)
Match 60 – Thursday, June 25, 2026 – Group Stage (Group D)
Match 81 – Wednesday, July 1, 2026 – Round of 32 (Knockout stage)
Fan-Fueled Adventures in the Bay Area
Above: A game at Levi’s Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area Stadium), Santa Clara.
We spoke to football-loving locals and travelers to get their take on the 2026 World Cup host cities. Jack Quinn has been to sports events in all four corners of the United States. As for the San Francisco Bay Area, he had this to say:
The World Cup stadium is NOT in San Francisco. So, for anyone going, ensure that you have a rented car. You can rely on Uber, but overall it’s a hike back to central San Fran. There is public transport, but reliability is iffy. For folks who want more convenience, staying in San Jose will provide significantly greater flexibility.
The food in and around sporting events is awesome. Get the Sonoran hot dogs from the cart vendors. Focus on the Mexican food.
San Francisco is an exceptional city to walk around but there are some sketchy areas, specifically in and around The Tenderloin. The Mission District is a great mix of sensational Mexican food and more bougie hipster restaurants and cafes.
San Francisco has introduced Waymo, which is the autonomous taxi fleet. 10/10 would recommend.
Visiting San Francisco Bay Area for the 2026 World Cup
The San Francisco Bay Area is expensive, so get ready for some already hefty prices on food/drink and accommodations to surge during the tournament. The good news is that traveling around San Francisco Bay Area for the 2026 World Cup is relatively easy due to an extensive and well-developed public transportation system. In SF, San Jose, and Santa Clara (where the stadium is) walking and biking are the second best options for getting around. Driving and parking in the region can be expensive and complicated.
And we’ve got plenty more tips for getting around San Francisco Bay Area during the 2026 World Cup.
Doing the Bay Area like a local
San Francisco is one of those cities where the touristy things to do are popular because they’re worth it. It would be a shame to visit the Bay Area and not see the Golden Gate Bridge or walk around the Palace of Fine Arts for free. And how could you go to SF without trying clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, eating dumplings in Chinatown, taking a ferry to Alcatraz, or going out for a night in the Mission District?
Santa Clara and San Jose don’t have as much in the way of must-see or must-do activities, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do there. San Pedro Square provides good food, good drinks and live music. San Jose Giants are the area’s minor league baseball team, so World Cup fans can experience an afternoon out at a ballgame (and it’s much easier on the wallet than an MLB game). Or, if you want to escape the city for some fresh air, Yosemite is only a four to five hour drive away... but what a place to go stretch those legs.
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