Thousands of fans will descend on Santa Clara, California, over the next month as Levi's Stadium is set to host six World Cup matches.

In anticipations, the city of Santa Clara will impose road closures around the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on match day to ensure traffic remains manageable.

With the first match at Levi's scheduled on June 13, here's some information for fans planning to commute to the stadium to watch Qatar vs. Switzerland.

Road closures in Santa Clara for World Cup

With the World Cup expected to disrupt traffic surrounding Levi's Stadium, the city of Santa Clara released its temporary traffic impact plan. The plan will close roads surrounding the stadium hours before and after the matches and will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase of the closure will see the city lose roads about 12 hours before the match.

Santa Clara will close Tasman Drive and the Stars and Stripes Slip Ramp. The road closure will affect vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians using the road along Levi's Stadium.

The city will close a portion of the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail to pedestrians and cyclists on the six match days during the FIFA World Cup.

Local officials provided a 2-mile alternative local detour route for drivers and cyclists; motorists will have to utilize Great America Way, Great America Parkway, Lafayette Street, and Calle De Luna/Calle Del Sol.

For people traveling in the area but not attending the World Cup, the city will provide a regional detour route which will direct traffic to the 101, 237 and local arterial roadways.

The closure will depend on when the match starts:

  • June 13 match starts at noon / Phase 1 Road Closure starts at 12 a.m. - 8 a.m.
  • June 16 match starts at 9 p.m. / Phase 1 Road Closure starts at 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • June 19 match starts at 8 p.m. / Phase 1 Road Closure starts at 8 a.m. - 4 p.m
  • June 22 match starts at 8 p.m. / Phase 1 Road Closure starts at 8 a.m. - 4 p.m
  • June 25 match starts at 7 p.m. / Phase 1 Road Closure starts at 8 a.m. - 3 p.m
  • July 1: Round of 32 at 5 p.m. / Phase 1 Road Closure starts at 8 a.m. - 1 p.m

Santa Clara road closures before, after World Cup matches

Four hours before the matches are set to start, the city implements phase 2 of the road closures plan, extending its local detour route and closing general public access to Calle De Luna and Calle Del Sol.

Motorists will be required to utilize Great America Way, Great America Parkway, Agnew Road, Lafayette Street, Hope Drive and Lick Mill Boulevard.

Local residents and businesses will still be able to access these areas.

The regional detour route will not be affected by phase 2 of the plan.

The closure will depend on when the matches starts:

  • June 13 match starts at noon / Phase 2 Road Closure starts at 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
  • June 16 match starts at 9 p.m. / Phase 2 Road Closure starts at 5 p.m. - 5 a.m.
  • June 19 match starts at 8 p.m. / Phase 2 Road Closure starts at 4 p.m. - 5 a.m.
  • June 22 match starts at 8 p.m. / Phase 2 Road Closure starts at 4 p.m. - 5 a.m.
  • June 25 match starts at 7 p.m. / Phase 2 Road Closure starts at 3 p.m. - 5 a.m.
  • July 1: Round of 32 at 5 p.m. / Phase 2 Road Closure starts at 1 p.m. - 5 a.m.

Parking at Levi's Stadium for the World Cup

For folks hoping to avoid the confusing dance that is taking public transit to Levi's Stadium, they can always take U.S. 101, Interstate 280 or Interstate 880 down to Santa Clara.

However, once in Santa Clara, finding parking near the stadium could be another headache for people trying to watch their team's match.

Fans hoping to park near Levi's Stadium will be required to purchase a parking pass via the FIFA World Cup 2026 official parking website, which will give them access to over a dozen lots surrounding the stadium.

Prices will vary depending on the match. For the Qatar vs. Switzerland match, prices start at $98.65 for a lot that is a 25-minute walk away from the stadium, with the most expensive lot going for $203.45, which is a 14-minute walk away from Levi's.

Hoping to avoid the traffic? Try taking BART, Caltrain

For folks who've never traveled to Levi's Stadium from San Francisco or the East Bay Area, there are two main methods to get to Santa Clara via public transit: either the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system or the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board's Caltrain service.

Depending on where folks are staying in the Bay Area, it will determine which public transit system they should take to Santa Clara before transferring to the regional public transit system: Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail.

The VTA light rail is the main mode of transportation to and from Levi's Stadium for people transferring in Santa Clara.

For a full guide on how to make it to the stadium, check out our transit guide.

Restaurants near San Francisco Bay Area Stadium

If you're in Santa Clara and looking for a bite to eat before a World Cup match, there are a few locations worth considering for a visit.

If you're looking for additional restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, check out our dining guide, which features a James Beard Foundation nominee and the flagship restaurant of a 13-time World Pizza Champion.

$ - Chicken Meets Rice - Santa Clara

Chicken Meets Rice is a fast-casual chain that offers Hainanese-style chicken rice. The company has a location about a 10-minute walk from Levi's Stadium and near the Lick Mill light rail station.

Address: 2213 Tasman Drive, Santa Clara

$$ - Mariscos Costa Alegre - San Jose

For folks looking for Mexican food and flavorful seafood, and who are willing to travel an extra 15 to 30 minutes — depending on traffic — they should consider visiting Mariscos Costa Alegre.

Located in San Jose, this family-owned restaurant offers fresh Mexican seafood dishes, as well as more experimental plates like their Mexican Sushi.

The restaurant also offers an expansive drink menu and weekday specials that fans can enjoy before they head to Levi's Stadium to support their teams.

Address: 855 N 13th Street, San Jose

$$$ - Birk's - Santa Clara

Fans hoping to have a finer dining experience should consider visiting Birk's, a South Bay icon bistro known for its grilled steaks, chops and seafood.

Birk's is located about a 10-minute drive away from Levi's Stadium and is right off the 101 highway.

Address: 3955 Freedom Circle, Santa Clara

Things to do in Santa Clara, San Jose

For fans 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.

Looking for things to do in San Francisco? Check out our guide to local landmarks here.

Where to watch the World Cup in San Francisco

Although the San Francisco Bay Area is only hosting six matches, there are plenty of fan zones, watch parties and bars that will be showing the other tournament matches.

For the full list of events, see our watch party guide for the Bay Area.

Here are a few fan zones in San Francisco:

  • The Row Cup, a five-week celebration of food, fun, and fan energy: June 11-July 19
  • San Francisco Fan Zone at Thrive City: June 11-July 19
  • San Francisco Fan Zone at China Basin Park (Mission Rock): June 11-July 19
  • San Francisco Fan Zone at Pier 39: June 12-July 19

Here are a few bars that we recommend fans stop by for a pint during the World Cup:

  • Kezar Pub is a well-known Irish pub in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood that is known for showing soccer matches throughout the season. The pub is a historic sports location.
  • Danny Coyle’s is an Irish sports pub in the Lower Haight neighborhood. Known to be a lively pub, this may be the spot for fans looking for a pub that only serves beer and shows the game.
  • Mad Dog in the Fog, a British pub and restaurant in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, will be hosting World Cup watch parties throughout the tournament.
  • Harry’s Bar is one of the Fillmore District neighborhood bars. The bar serves American classics like burgers, nachos, sliders and more, and will host World Cup watch parties throughout the tournament.
  • Philosopher’s Club, a small tavern in the West Portal neighborhood, will be hosting World Cup watch parties throughout the tournament.

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.

Source: USA Today