David Faria, owner of Guildhouse, an esports bar which focuses on online video game competitions in San Jose\u2019s SoFA District, said business surged during Super Bowl 60 weekend<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were absolutely packed,\u201d Faria told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cBut this is a tough one because we\u2019ve never done it before. It\u2019ll be the first time this event has been in the area. The last World Cup<\/a> was happening in the middle of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, Faria said the venue is prepared for whatever the tournament brings.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re just gonna play it by ear, I don\u2019t know if we\u2019re going to be packed, but all you have to do to change an esports bar to a sports bar is put sports on,\u201d Faria said.<\/p>\n That outlook is shared by other San Jose bars, including MINIBOSS.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw about an extra 25% during the Super Bowl,\u201d Dekel Elia, operations manager at MINIBOSS, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cWe\u2019ll have normal hours and play whatever is on during that time.\u201d<\/p>\n Local business leaders said the tournament\u2019s value extends beyond immediate sales. San Jose Chamber of Commerce CEO Leah Toeniskoetter said the World Cup presents an opportunity for San Jose<\/a> to showcase itself.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the direct visitor spending will be significant, the larger opportunity is introducing our city to international audiences and demonstrating our ability to host world-class events,\u201d Toeniskoetter told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, media and telecom companies like Comcast are pointing out the rising cost of attending live events \u2014 including tickets, travel and lodging \u2014 may influence how fans choose to experience the World Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re seeing a shift where the \u2018best seat\u2019 may actually be at home,\u201d Jill Carlson, spokesperson for Comcast, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n Not all businesses are anticipating a major boost in foot traffic during the World Cup.<\/p>\n Ben, a bartender at O\u2019Flaherty\u2019s Irish Pub in San Pedro Square who didn\u2019t want to provide his last name, said the business saw a small bump in customers from the FIFA Champions League on May 30. But he doesn\u2019t expect a significant boost during the World Cup, unlike Super Bowl Sunday which was packed.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have any of the final games here,\u201d he told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cWe\u2019re only hosting the early groups. No America. No Argentina.\u201d<\/p>\n Toeniskoetter said the impact of the World Cup will be more spread out than the Super Bowl, generating extended media attention and international visibility that could benefit tourism<\/a> and future business endeavors. She added that the countries assigned to play at Levi\u2019s Stadium will influence the mix of visitors who travel to the region, and their sought experiences.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, success will be measured not only by visitor spending during the tournament, but by how effectively we connect visitors to local businesses, cultural assets and neighborhoods throughout San Jose,\u201d Toeniskoetter said.<\/p>\n![\"Exterior](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_8294-1024x768.jpg\")
MINIBOSS, a downtown San Jose bar and arcade, plans to host fans and visitors during the FIFA World Cup. Photo by Sofia Ruvalcaba.<\/p>\n![\"In-line](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/interactive-321838904008.png\")
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