The San Francisco Bay Area will soon welcome thousands of soccer fans as World Cup matches are set to be held at Levi’s Stadium starting on June 13. For many, this may be their first time visiting the Bay Area, and they may be curious about how to fill their time between matches.
Luckily, we got you covered on things to do in the San Francisco area and near Levi’s Stadium.
This year’s tournament will be the biggest in history, featuring 48 teams for the first time. The 104 games will be spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the U.S. hosting 78 matches.
Specifically in the Bay Area, Levi’s Stadium will host six matches across multiple weeks, giving some fans ample time to explore San Francisco and the surrounding major cities.
Wondering where to eat? Check out our dining guide here, which features a James Beard Foundation nominee and the flagship restaurant of a 13-time World Pizza Champion.
Got a few days? Explore San Francisco
Folks who have never been to the Bay Area need to visit the tried-and-true tourist destination, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. On top of being one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, fans can follow the Golden Gate Promenade, which is a scenic trail connecting the Golden Gate Bridge to the Palace of Fine Arts.
A view of the Golden Gate Bridge on Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Francisco, CA.
For folks who prefer a quieter day, they should consider visiting one of California’s world-renowned museums, the California Academy of Sciences, which houses over 60,000 live animals across an array of facilities including an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and a four-story rainforest in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
Doug Johnson, spokesperson for AAA Northern California, previously recommended visitors consider traveling to Alcatraz Island, where guests can tour the former federal penitentiary, military prison and fort.
A view of Alcatraz Island on Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Francisco, CA.
“And then if you’re looking to get out of the city itself … there’s Angel Island State Park, which is a great place,” Johnson told USA TODAY in January.
For folks who prefer a more spontaneous trip, there’s nothing wrong with wandering into the North Beach, Chinatown, Japantown, the Mission District, the Castro and Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhoods, which each have a unique charm to them.
Staying in Santa Clara, San Jose? Things to do
For fans and families staying in the Santa Clara or San Jose areas to be closer to Levi’s Stadium, there are plenty of activities to enjoy in the days leading up to your World Cup match.
One of the most popular landmarks in San Jose is the historic Winchester Mystery House, which was once the personal residence of Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester. The building is a sprawling 24,000-square-foot mansion that was originally an eight-room farmhouse that grew into the maze it is today.
The Winchester Mystery House offers guided tours that cost $46.06 for adults and $22.49 for kids.
San Jose is also home to Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. The zoo recently became the permanent home for “Twix,” a 1-year-old Red Panda originally from Zoo Boise in Idaho. General admission into the zoo is $22.
For visitors who may just want to spend the day walking around, the Great Mall in Milpitas, the Intel Museum and Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, or the Moffett Field Museum in Mountain View are all great locations to visit.
Bored of SF?: Here are other places to visit south of Bay Area
Where is Levi’s Stadium?
Levi’s Stadium is located in Santa Clara, the heart of Santa Clara County. Notably, the stadium is approximately 45 minutes to an hour away from San Francisco.
SFO to Levi’s Stadium: Is the airport close?
For anyone hoping to catch an Uber from the San Francisco International Airport to Levi’s Stadium, it might be worth highlighting that it’ll be an expensive trip. SFO is located about 31 miles away from the stadium, and multiple cities away from Santa Clara.
However, the San Jose Mineta International Airport is relatively close to the stadium, only about 5 miles away.
World Cup matches in the San Francisco Bay Area
June 13: Qatar vs. Switzerland (Group B) at noon PDT
June 16: Austria vs. Jordan (Group J) at 9 p.m. PDT
June 19: Türkiye vs. Paraguay (Group D) at 8 p.m. PDT
June 22: Jordan vs. Algeria (Group J) at 8 p.m. PDT
June 25: Paraguay vs. Australia (Group D) at 7 p.m. PDT
July 1: Round of 32 at 5 p.m. PDT
Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Visiting Levi’s Stadium for the World Cup? Things to do, see