FIFA World Cup 30-day countdown begins across Bay Area
With 30 days until the FIFA World Cup arrives in the South Bay, celebrations are already underway across the Bay Area, where officials and organizers say the excitement is about more than just soccer. Six World Cup flags were raised Monday at locations stretching from San Jose to San Francisco, marking the official start of the countdown to the first match at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. "It's a way of life, it's a religion, it's not just entertainment," said Aly Wagner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and Bay Area Host Committee member.
Wagner said the World Cup played a key role in shaping her love for the sport and emphasized the global significance of the tournament. MORE: 2026 FIFA World Cup hotel bookings lagging in Bay Area, across the country "The reality is there is no world event that will match the world cup. There is no event that brings the world together the way a world cup does," she said.
The Bay Area Host Committee estimates about 260,000 people will travel to the region for these matches. Officials say the influx is expected to provide a significant boost to small businesses, hotels and restaurants, generating between $480 million and $630 million. Leslie Osborne, a former U.
S. Women's National Team player and Bay FC co-founder, said the impact will extend beyond economics. "How many people will fall in love with this beautiful game whether they're at a watch party, whether they're at a bar, whether they're at a free clinic that the Bay Area Host Committee or Bay FC, or the Earthquakes- people are going to fall in love with this game and it's going to unite our community," Osborne said.
Organizers are also highlighting options for those without match tickets. The San Jose Earthquakes plan to host the largest free viewing party at San Pedro Square Market, where all 104 matches will be broadcast over 39 days. MORE: FIFA triples price to $32,970 for its best available tickets to the World Cup final "For anyone who loves football this is incredibly exciting but for San Jose its something more of a one in a generational opportunity to show the world who we are," Mayor Matt Mahan said.
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