Santa Clara is an independent incorporated city in Santa Clara County, at the southern end of San Francisco Bay in Silicon Valley. It was incorporated on 5 July 1852 around Mission Santa Clara de Asis, a Spanish colonial mission founded in 1777 that also gave rise to Santa Clara University, the oldest university in California. With a 2020 Census population of 127,647 and an estimated 134,000 by 2026, the city is best known as a global technology hub, hosting the headquarters of Intel, Nvidia, and AMD within its boundaries.

Levi's Stadium, which opened on 17 July 2014 and holds 68,500 spectators, is the home of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL, and one of the larger venues in American professional sports. Despite the 49ers branding, it sits firmly in Santa Clara, not San Francisco, a distinction local residents guard carefully. The stadium hosted Super Bowl 50 in February 2016.

For the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Levi's Stadium serves as the Bay Area's sole venue under the official designation "Bay Area Stadium". It is hosting six matches: five group-stage fixtures across Group B (including Qatar vs Switzerland), Group D, and Group J, plus a Round of 32 match on 1 July 2026. Qatar's captain Boualem Khoukhi scored a 94th-minute equaliser here on 13 June to earn Qatar their first-ever World Cup point, in a match that also became the centre of a controversy over FIFA withholding the VAR offside graphic.

Common Questions

Where is Levi's Stadium and why is it not in San Francisco?

Levi's Stadium is in Santa Clara, a separate city in Silicon Valley approximately 45 miles south of San Francisco. Despite being the home of the San Francisco 49ers, the stadium was built in Santa Clara, which offered land, financing, and infrastructure that San Francisco could not match.Source: Wikipedia / Levi's Stadium official

How many World Cup matches does Santa Clara host in 2026?

Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara is hosting 6 matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: five group-stage games across Groups B, D, and J, plus a Round of 32 match on 1 July 2026.Source: FIFA.com

What is Santa Clara California known for?

Santa Clara is a Silicon Valley city known as the global headquarters of Intel, Nvidia, and AMD, and as the home of Levi's Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers play. Santa Clara University, the oldest university in California, was founded here on the grounds of a Spanish colonial mission established in 1777.Source: Wikipedia / US Census

What happened at Levi's Stadium during the 2026 World Cup?

Qatar vs Switzerland on 13 June 2026 at Levi's Stadium produced a dramatic 1-1 draw, with Boualem Khoukhi's 94th-minute header earning Qatar their first World Cup point. The match also sparked a row when FIFA withheld the VAR offside graphic, prompting broadcaster Gary Neville to call it "a dictatorship" on live television.Source: Lowdown briefing

Source Material

Levi's Stadium — Official Website Santa Clara, California — Wikipedia

How the World Sees Them

FIFA / tournament organisers

The venue was selected for its size, modern infrastructure and transport links to San Jose and the broader Bay Area; the 'Bay Area Stadium' designation sidesteps the San Francisco / Santa Clara naming tension.

Silicon Valley tech community

The stadium sits among the HQs of Intel, Nvidia and AMD; local civic identity centres on tech more than sport, and many residents regard the 49ers branding as a misleading export of San Francisco's name to a neighbouring city.