If you're already looking past the current season and wondering where will the super bowl be in 2026, you aren't alone. The NFL planning machine moves fast. While fans are usually focused on who’s hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this year, the league has had the 2026 logistics locked down for a while now.
Basically, we're headed back to the West Coast. Specifically, the San Francisco Bay Area.
The 60th edition of the big game—Super Bowl LX—is officially set to take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It’s the home of the San Francisco 49ers, and if it feels like we were just there, well, you’ve got a good memory. The league is returning to the tech capital of the world exactly ten years after the "Golden" Super Bowl 50.
The Official Date and Location for Super Bowl LX
Mark your calendars for February 8, 2026.
That is when the AFC and NFC champions will collide at Levi’s Stadium. It's a venue that’s seen its fair share of drama since opening in 2014. For those who don't spend their weekends in Northern California, Santa Clara is about 40 miles south of San Francisco. It's the heart of Silicon Valley.
This isn't just a "one city" event. The NFL and the Bay Area Host Committee are treating this like a regional takeover. While the game itself is in Santa Clara, the massive "Super Bowl Experience" fan festival is headed to the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco.
You’ve also got the NFL Honors and other star-studded galas happening at the Palace of Fine Arts. It’s gonna be a logistical nightmare for traffic, honestly, but a dream for anyone who loves the spectacle of a championship week.
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A Quick History of Bay Area Super Bowls
The 2026 game marks the third time the region has hosted. Most people remember Super Bowl 50 in 2016, where Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset after the Broncos beat the Panthers.
But you have to go way back to 1985 for the first one in the area. That was Super Bowl XIX, held at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto. Joe Montana led the 49ers to a win over Dan Marino’s Dolphins. It’s kinda poetic that the game is returning to the Niners' backyard again.
Why the NFL Chose Santa Clara for 2026
The selection process isn't the "beauty pageant" it used to be. The NFL changed the rules a few years back. Instead of cities competing and begging for the game, the league now approaches a specific city and tells them, "Hey, we want to play here, give us a proposal."
The owners voted unanimously to return to Santa Clara back in May 2023.
Why? It’s simple. Levi's Stadium is a "smart" stadium. It’s built for the modern era—high-speed Wi-Fi everywhere, eco-friendly design, and plenty of luxury suites. The NFL loves those suites. They are the money-makers for these events. Plus, the weather in Northern California in February is usually pretty decent—cool, but rarely the kind of freezing tundra you’d see in Jersey or Chicago.
The Entertainment: Bad Bunny and More
The halftime show is always the biggest non-sporting conversation on the planet. For Super Bowl LX, the NFL has secured global superstar Bad Bunny as the headliner.
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It’s a massive move. He’s the first Latin male solo artist to headline the show. Given the massive Latin American population in California and the global reach of the NFL, this is clearly a play for a younger, international audience.
On top of that, Charlie Puth has been tapped for the National Anthem. NBC is the broadcaster this time around, and they’re already leaning into the star power. Expect a lot of Peacock-exclusive content leading up to the game too.
What Most People Get Wrong About Super Bowl Logistics
When people ask "where will the super bowl be in 2026," they often assume everything happens in San Francisco. It doesn't.
If you book a hotel in San Francisco thinking you can just walk to the game, you’re in for a very expensive 45-minute Uber ride (or a long trip on the Caltrain).
Santa Clara and San Francisco are distinct. Most of the corporate parties and the "glitz" stay in the city, but the actual football happens in the South Bay. This creates a weird split. Fans often find themselves commuting back and forth on the 101 or the 280, which are notoriously packed on a normal Tuesday, let alone Super Bowl Sunday.
Transportation and Road Closures
The City of Santa Clara has already started warning people about closures. Starting as early as January 5, 2026, parts of Stars and Stripes Drive and the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail will be shut down for security.
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By game day on February 8, Great America Parkway will be basically inaccessible unless you have a permit or a ticket. The Bay Area Host Committee is pushing public transit hard, but let’s be real—most people are going to try to drive, and it’s going to be a mess.
Planning Your Trip: Actionable Steps for Fans
If you’re actually planning on attending or just want to be in the vicinity for the vibes, you need to move now. Super Bowl 2026 is going to be one of the most expensive ones yet because of the Silicon Valley "premium."
- Book accommodation early: Don't just look at San Francisco. Check out San Jose or even Sunnyvale. San Jose is actually closer to the stadium than San Francisco is.
- Download the NFL OnePass app: This is mandatory. It’s how you get into the fan festivals at the Moscone Center and how you track player appearances.
- Register for the Pro Bowl Games: The Pro Bowl is happening on February 3, 2026, at the Moscone Center as well. It’s being integrated into the Super Bowl week festivities this year rather than being a separate standalone event in another city.
- Official Tickets: On Location is the official hospitality provider. If you want a guaranteed seat and don't want to risk the secondary market, that's the place to look, though you'll be paying a massive markup for the "experience" packages.
The Bay Area knows how to do this. They've hosted World Cups, Super Bowls, and NBA Finals. But the scale of a 60th-anniversary Super Bowl is different. It’s a milestone.
Whether you're there for the Bad Bunny performance or to see if a new dynasty is beginning, Santa Clara is going to be the center of the sports world. Keep an eye on local Santa Clara and San Francisco government sites for updated road closure maps as we get closer to the end of 2025.
Future Super Bowl Locations (2027 and 2028)
If you can't make it to the Bay Area, the league has already announced the next two stops after 2026.
- 2027 (Super Bowl LXI): SoFi Stadium, Inglewood (Los Angeles), CA.
- 2028 (Super Bowl LXII): Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA.
The NFL is clearly leaning into "destination" stadiums with top-tier amenities. Levi's Stadium fits that mold perfectly. Now that you know exactly where will the super bowl be in 2026, the only thing left to figure out is who’s actually going to be playing in it.
Start tracking flights to SFO or SJC about six to nine months out. That’s usually the "sweet spot" before the surge pricing becomes truly insane. Also, if you’re a local, maybe consider renting out your place on Airbnb—it might just pay for your entire year's mortgage.
Check the official Bay Area Host Committee website frequently for the latest on the BAHC Live! concert series, which is set to feature artists like Luke Combs and The Chainsmokers in the days leading up to the game.