THE FIFA WORLD CUP is the last of the sports trifecta to bring an economic boost into Santa Clara County following the Super Bowl in February and NCAA March Madness.
An international crowd is expected to descend on Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, increasing sales and foot traffic in neighboring cities between June 13 through July 1. But local businesses have mixed reactions as to how well they will fair during the two and a half week period, since most of the games are in the early group stages.
David Faria, owner of Guildhouse, an esports bar which focuses on online video game competitions in San Jose’s SoFA District, said business surged during Super Bowl 60 weekend.
“We were absolutely packed,” Faria told San José Spotlight. “But this is a tough one because we’ve never done it before. It’ll be the first time this event has been in the area. The last World Cup was happening in the middle of the night.”
Still, Faria said the venue is prepared for whatever the tournament brings.
“We’re just gonna play it by ear, I don’t know if we’re going to be packed, but all you have to do to change an esports bar to a sports bar is put sports on,” Faria said.
That outlook is shared by other San Jose bars, including MINIBOSS.
“We saw about an extra 25% during the Super Bowl,” Dekel Elia, operations manager at MINIBOSS, told San José Spotlight. “We’ll have normal hours and play whatever is on during that time.”
The best seat in the house
Local business leaders said the tournament’s value extends beyond immediate sales. San Jose Chamber of Commerce CEO Leah Toeniskoetter said the World Cup presents an opportunity for San Jose to showcase itself.
“While the direct visitor spending will be significant, the larger opportunity is introducing our city to international audiences and demonstrating our ability to host world-class events,” Toeniskoetter told San José Spotlight.
Meanwhile, media and telecom companies like Comcast are pointing out the rising cost of attending live events — including tickets, travel and lodging — may influence how fans choose to experience the World Cup.
“We’re seeing a shift where the ‘best seat’ may actually be at home,” Jill Carlson, spokesperson for Comcast, told San José Spotlight.
Not all businesses are anticipating a major boost in foot traffic during the World Cup.
“We’re seeing a shift where the ‘best seat’ may actually be at home.”
Jill Carlson, Comcast spokesperson
Ben, a bartender at O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub in San Pedro Square who didn’t want to provide his last name, said the business saw a small bump in customers from the FIFA Champions League on May 30. But he doesn’t expect a significant boost during the World Cup, unlike Super Bowl Sunday which was packed.
“We don’t have any of the final games here,” he told San José Spotlight. “We’re only hosting the early groups. No America. No Argentina.”
Toeniskoetter said the impact of the World Cup will be more spread out than the Super Bowl, generating extended media attention and international visibility that could benefit tourism and future business endeavors. She added that the countries assigned to play at Levi’s Stadium will influence the mix of visitors who travel to the region, and their sought experiences.
“Ultimately, success will be measured not only by visitor spending during the tournament, but by how effectively we connect visitors to local businesses, cultural assets and neighborhoods throughout San Jose,” Toeniskoetter said.
Contact Sofia Ruvalcaba at sofruvalcaba@gmail.com or @sofiaruvs on X.
This story originally appeared in San Jose Spotlight.