In 84 days, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara will host its first FIFA World Cup 2026 match. Six games total — five in the group stage and one knockout round. The first kicks off June 13. The last is July 1. It’s the biggest sporting event the Bay Area has ever hosted. Tickets start at $140 — and that’s considered cheap by this tournament’s standards.
What’s Being Played at Levi’s Stadium
The schedule has been set since December. Qatar vs. Switzerland — June 13 at 12:00 PM. Austria vs. Jordan — June 16 at 9:00 PM. The winner of the European playoff (Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo) vs. Paraguay — June 19 at 9:00 PM. Jordan vs. Algeria — June 22 at 8:00 PM. Paraguay vs. Australia — June 25 at 7:00 PM. And a Round of 32 knockout match — July 1 at 5:00 PM. All times Pacific.
None of the tournament’s biggest stars will play in the Bay Area. No Messi. No Mbappé. No USA or Mexico. Argentina won’t be here either.
Tickets: They Promised $21 — It Turned Into $200+
Ticket pricing has become the defining scandal of this World Cup. When FIFA announced in 2018 that the tournament would be held across three countries, it projected group-stage tickets at $21 to $323. Final tickets were estimated at $128 to $1,550.
Reality turned out differently. FIFA adopted a dynamic pricing model. The cheapest group-stage tickets now start above $200. The lowest-priced seat at the final costs over $4,000.
After public backlash, FIFA introduced a limited batch of $60 tickets. But those make up just 1–2% of the total — a few hundred per match. At a 68,000-seat Levi’s Stadium, that’s a drop in the bucket.
For Bay Area matches, group-stage prices range from $140 to $450 depending on the seating category. That’s among the lowest in the tournament — but still serious money for an average fan.
68 Members of Congress Wrote to FIFA
On March 10, 68 Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Among the signatories was Josh Harder, the congressman representing the Stockton area.
Their argument: taxpayers are footing the bill for infrastructure, security, and stadium preparation, while FIFA profits from ticket sales and broadcasting rights — setting prices that shut everyday fans out of the tournament.
The numbers from the letter: Congress has already allocated $625 million to reimburse law enforcement costs. Individual cities have been forced to raise up to $150 million from other sources. Host committees are collectively $250 million short of needed funding because FIFA’s commercial contracts restrict cities from securing local sponsorships.
The result: for the first time in World Cup history, some host cities are charging admission for fan festivals or scaling them back entirely.
What the Bay Area Is Paying
Santa Clara is one of only two U.S. host cities not spending taxpayer money on the tournament. The other is Los Angeles. Santa Clara’s Measure J — a 2010 law that authorized the construction of Levi’s Stadium — prohibits the city from using its general fund for events like this.
The costs are being covered by the Bay Area Host Committee, a nonprofit organization. The committee is putting $25 million toward modifying the Levi’s Stadium field to meet FIFA requirements. Installation of new grass began March 19. A new field ventilation system has been built into the stadium’s foundation.
If the committee runs short, the San Francisco 49ers have committed to covering any deficit.
Federal security grants for the Bay Area and LA have yet to be disbursed. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is still waiting on FEMA. The delay is tied to the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
Fan Zones Instead of a Central Festival
The Bay Area has opted out of the traditional single-site fan festival model. Instead, the Host Committee is organizing distributed fan zones across the region — match broadcasts, live music, food, and sponsor activations at multiple locations. Free fan zones will open on the first day of the tournament, June 11. Specific locations are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Beyond the screenings, Australia has selected the Oakland Roots training facility as its official team base camp. San Jose State University is being considered as a base for another national team.
Whether the Bay Area will charge for entry to its fan zones remains an open question — organizers have said details will come later.
Who Is This World Cup For
FIFA World Cup 2026 is the largest in history: 48 national teams, 104 matches, 16 cities across three countries. The final is July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
For the Bay Area, this is the first-ever World Cup. And for now, the main question isn’t who will win — it’s who will actually be able to afford a seat in the stadium.