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San Jose staff outline SJ26 plans for Super Bowl, March Madness and World Cup; focus on equitable activations and safety
Summary
City staff presented an extensive update on SJ26 planning (Super Bowl, NCAA, FIFA World Cup) including neighborhood activations, small-business toolkits, visitor center/ podcast studio, wayfinding and public-safety coordination; council directed additional outreach, multilingual engagement and neighborhood funding considerations.
San Jose—s City Council received a comprehensive status report on SJ26 — the city—s program of major sporting events for 2026 — and unanimously approved a memo directing staff to prioritize safety, neighborhood outreach and small-business supports.
Tommy O'Hare, the city—s sports and special events director, described branding, street-pole banners, an interactive map, a visitor center with a podcast studio, neighborhood activations and a small-business toolkit aimed at connecting local restaurants, retail and arts organizations to event-related traffic. Carrie Adams Happner (Office of Cultural Affairs) outlined cultural installations and programming planned across the city; Office of Emergency Management director Ray Reardon described interdepartmental planning with police, fire, VTA and partner agencies for crowd management and safety.
Councilmembers emphasized equitable distribution of activations and funding across districts, multilingual outreach, support for neighborhood business districts (including a proposed East Side Small Business Town Hall) and a commitment to prioritize local vendors for city-sponsored activations. Several councilmembers asked for discrete funding set-asides for neighborhood activations; staff said they are working with community partners to allocate resources and will hold workshops for district staff.
On public safety, Chief Paul Joseph and emergency-management staff said planning is underway with federal and regional partners on protocols for de-escalation and trafficking prevention; staff committed to a tailored operational plan to be socialized with stakeholders by early January. Councilmembers also discussed legacy opportunities, including the city—s cultural tourism campaign and infrastructure improvements (wayfinding, visitor services) that could outlast 2026 activities.
The council voted unanimously to approve the SJ26 memorandum and related staff direction.
