Watching the Jan. 5 meeting of Santa Clara’s Economic Development & Marketing committee, you might think Super Bowl LX was being played somewhere else.
Although the committee has been meeting since last June on plans for Super Bowl LX and the 2026 FIFA World Cup (five months away), there’s not one city-led event ahead of Super Bowl, and World Cup event planning is embryonic.
So far committee’s accomplishments — “activations” — include street banners, a stalled mural program, co-sponsoring a lunar new year event that was already in the works and the tagline “Where Mission Meets the Moment.”
The city allocated $1 million — “seed funding” — for this campaign, raised $45,000 in sponsorships and expects $200,000 from advertising. However, the city has yet “to work with FIFA to get a license … for what we’re hoping to have here in Santa Clara,” said Assistant City Manager Paulina Morales.
The city has “allocated funding to bring on an event producer to help us put on these major events in this coming year,” said Morales and the committee’s Jan. 5 meeting. An RFP has been released, and the city has “selected three vendors to move forward with.”
Putting this in perspective, San José hired a Sports and Special Events Director in January 2025.
Among the events discussed are: FIFA World Cup watch parties; night markets; a “stadium event” — youth soccer tournament —and concert in late February or early March; a STEM Zone at Santa Clara Convention Center; and murals of local sports legends Brent Jones, Brandy Chastain, Donna Devereux, and possibly Jalen Williams. Scheduling for the murals is uncertain, explained Triton Museum Director Preston Metcalfe, because the artist has medical problems.
The STEM Zone is “hoping to feature 10 robotics teams and have them go face to face with their robots,” said City Library Program Coordinator Rachel Schmidt. “Some of the partners … are Santa Clara University, Mission College. We’re working on adding some more partners.” Schmidt also asked the committee for recommendations for “dynamic speakers.”
A global relations subcommittee will promote Santa Clara to World Cup delegations and is producing a brochure promoting the city’s “competitive advantages” for business.
“We’re going to have three weeks of dignitaries, business leaders, VIPs, investors from different countries,” said Community Development and Sustainability Director Reena Brillot. “So we have a unique opportunity that we want to seize to really pitch the city as the city to get to know when you’re coming to the World Cup.”
A significant part of the conversation was dedicated to the logistics and operation of a youth soccer tournament in the stadium: logistics, field maintenance, how the tournament would be run, and, exactly when this would be fit in.
It would have to be the end of February or the beginning of March, Mayor Lisa Gillmor said. “That means we’ve got a hustle.”
The only pre-Super Bowl event is the “partner-led” 2026 that happened last weekend. Organized by DingDingTV, O.M.G. Entertainment and Silicon Valley Community Media with sponsorship and logistics assistance from the city, the celebration kicks off with a traditional Lunar New Year parade and features food, arts and crafts, vendors (“night market”) and live performances.
Looking for more fun close to home before the Super Bowl? Team San Jose has a full calendar. Events include Opening Night at McEnery Convention Center, Feb. 2; San Pedro Square Superfest, Feb. 6-8; and Santa Row’s Super Row Weekend & Big Game Tailgate, Feb. 5-8.
Clara’s Junction restaurant, on Tasman in Santa Clara, has its regular 49ers Tailgate Watch Party on Feb. 8. Sunnyvale live music club The Quarter Note Bar & Grill on Lawrence Expressway will host a Super Bowl Watch Party Feb. 8, with some special events planned.
The Economic Development and Marketing Committee meets next on Feb. 19, 4:30 p.m., in the City Central Library and Zoom. Committee members are Council Member Kelly Cox, Vice Mayor Albert Gonzalez and Mayor Lisa Gillmor.
Carolyn Schuk can be reached at carolyn@santaclaraweekly.com.
