City races to schedule community stadium event in narrow window between Super Bowl and World Cup

Committee members and staff focused much of the meeting on whether the city can put on a stadium community event in the brief period between the NFL’s Super Bowl activities and FIFA’s World Cup field rehabilitation. Jovan, the city manager, cautioned that cost — especially paying for replacement or rehabilitation of natural grass — and stadium access schedules constrain options.

"One of the reasons why the city has not held an event there is just the cost," Jovan said, noting that the NFL’s access to Levi Stadium ends in early March and that FIFA will begin rehabbing the field immediately afterward. He described two feasible weekends in late February or early March as the primary windows and said later dates would likely push options into July between a string of major concerts.

Members emphasized including local youth and community groups in any stadium event. Speakers proposed youth soccer and flag‑football clinics and suggested staging preliminary games at the adjacent youth soccer park with a final at the stadium if field condition permits. Staff said the stadium is a leased city facility and that event access requires coordination with the NFL and stadium management, as well as partner organizations including the Bay Area Host Committee.

To execute quickly, the city manager proposed forming four working groups focused on sports programming, concert programming, logistics and negotiations with stadium operators and event managers. Committee members moved to accelerate the stadium subcommittee meeting to the coming Thursday to begin detailed planning. No final decisions about dates, ticketing criteria or the detailed event program were made at the meeting; staff said contracts, licensing and budget approvals remain necessary next steps.