Santa Clara officials are projecting a highly likely chance that the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches at Levi's Stadium will be a money loser, prompting them to negotiate passing the risk onto the Bay Area Host Committee and the San Francisco 49ers. Event costs, public safety costs, and improvements expected for the World Cup are current estimates between $45 million and $50 million, yet Measure J prohibits using city funds for the stadium's maintenance.
Glen Googins, the Santa Clara City Attorney, highlighted at a council meeting that the stadium agreement heavily favors FIFA, noting that FIFA has reserved rights to amend the agreement and impose additional requirements on the local organizing committee.
Santa Clara's challenges extended to gaining access to important agreements, leading the city to consider legal action to obtain necessary documents as agreements involved the Bay Area Host Committee and FIFA, complicating transparency around financial responsibilities.
The previous 1994 World Cup saw Stanford Stadium host six games, and it will be the first time in over three decades that the prestigious men's soccer tournament will return to the Bay Area, with Levi's Stadium hosting six matches.
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