Levi's Stadium
Foto: Matthew Roth · CC BY-SA 2.0 · zdroj
- Capacity
- 68,500
- Year opened
- 2014
- Club
- —
- Country
- United States
Overview
About the stadium
Levi's Stadium is a football stadium in Santa Clara, California, just west of San Jose in the San Francisco Bay Area. It opened in 2014 and, with a seating capacity of 68,500, serves as the home of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. The stadium is named after Levi Strauss & Co., which purchased the naming rights in 2013.
Location and surroundings
The stadium sits roughly 40 miles (64 km) south of San Francisco, on land adjacent to the 49ers' administrative offices and training facility. It was built on a former parking lot along Tasman Drive, north of the California's Great America theme park. There are relatively few amenities in its immediate vicinity — the closest significant concentration of hotels and restaurants lies almost a mile to the south, beyond Great America. The Santa Clara Convention Center is located to the northwest.
Main uses
Levi's Stadium is designed as an open venue with a natural grass field and a capacity expandable to roughly 75,000 for major events. Beyond 49ers home games, it hosts concerts, motocross events, conferences and other community gatherings. It meets FIFA's field-geometry requirements for international soccer, allowing it to stage friendlies and major tournaments. The club areas feature more than 109,000 square feet of flexible premium meeting space.
History
Journey through time
Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara emerged after years of negotiations over a new home for the San Francisco 49ers. It opened on July 17, 2014 with a capacity of 68,500, replacing the now-demolished Candlestick Park. The natural-grass venue was designed by architectural firm HNTB, with the fan experience and green technology as priorities.
Construction and opening
In June 2010, Santa Clara voters approved Measure J, authorizing the tax-exempt Santa Clara Stadium Authority to build and own the stadium. A construction loan from private investors was secured in December 2011, and work began in April 2012. The official groundbreaking took place on April 19, 2012, with the first steel beams laid that July. The stadium opened on July 17, 2014; its first game was an MLS soccer match in which the San Jose Earthquakes defeated Seattle Sounders 1–0.
Major renovations
In July 2016, the 49ers converted a 6,500-square-foot section of the green roof into an organically maintained rooftop farm named the Faithful Farm — the first on an NFL stadium. More than 40 rotational crops are grown for dishes served in the club spaces. The stadium earned a Gold LEED certification, the first professional football stadium in the United States to receive the award as new construction.
Notable moments
The venue hosted Super Bowl 50 (February 7, 2016, the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24–10) and Super Bowl LX (February 8, 2026). It also staged WrestleMania 31 (2015) before a record crowd of 76,976, an NHL Stadium Series game in 2015, and the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Atmosphere
Matchday
Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, opened in 2014 with a capacity of 68,500, is the home of the San Francisco 49ers. Its atmosphere draws mixed reactions: the stadium is praised for its sightlines, architecture and transit access, yet criticized for a corporate feel that many fans say lacks the football warmth of the former Candlestick Park.
Fan culture
The design places roughly two-thirds of fans in the lower bowl — one of the largest in the NFL — bringing spectators close to the action. However, with the league's most expensive ticket prices in its inaugural season, many long-tenured supporters could not afford season tickets. The stadium's bars and lounges also draw fans away from their seats during games. Critics further note the east-side stands lack overhangs and are fully exposed to the sun, leaving them largely empty on hot afternoon games.
Big matches
The 49ers' first regular-season game came on September 14, 2014 against the Chicago Bears before a home record crowd of 70,799. The stadium hosted matches at the 2016 Copa América Centenario, the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, and several International Champions Cup fixtures. In June 2026 it will stage six matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — five group-stage games and one Round of 32 match; during the tournament the venue is temporarily renamed San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
Practical info
Visiting the stadium
Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, in the San Francisco Bay Area, opened in 2014 with a capacity of 68,500 and is the home of the San Francisco 49ers. It lies roughly 40 miles (64 km) south of San Francisco and is well served by public transit and road links.
How to get there
The most convenient option is VTA light rail (Valley Transportation Authority); the closest station is Great America, in the median of Tasman Drive just west of the stadium. To the east are further VTA stations and the Amtrak and ACE Santa Clara–Great America station. VTA also runs a dedicated shuttle bus from the Warm Springs BART station. By car, the primary access route is Tasman Drive, which connects to Interstate 880 and to north–south arterials feeding U.S. Route 101 and State Route 237.
Tickets and tours
Tickets for 49ers games and other events are sold through the team's and stadium's official channels. Ticketing rules have drawn criticism — season-ticket holders could not print tickets until 72 hours before a game, making resale difficult. For major events such as the Super Bowl or World Cup matches, capacity is expanded to roughly 75,000 seats.
Visitor tips
- When should you arrive? For daytime games, expect heat on the unshaded east stands; bring a hat and water.
- How do you avoid traffic? Favor the VTA light rail from Great America station over driving and parking.
- What is nearby? The California's Great America theme park is just to the south, and the Santa Clara Convention Center lies to the northwest.
Map
Where to find the stadium
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Plan your visit
Santa Clara, United States
Accommodation
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