Whether for football or fútbol, sports fans from around the world will descend on the Bay Area next year, as both the Super Bowl and World Cup games are set to be hosted in the same region for the first time ever. 

These fans aren’t just looking to drop $5,000 or so for a simple ticket to the game. They want to hobnob with NFL legends, see a private concert with Sting, party with a Kardashian, play a round at Pebble Beach, stay at a suite atop the Fairmont, or sip pinot at a Napa vineyard. And they’re willing to pay whatever it costs — with some bespoke packages tallying up to hundreds of thousands of dollars and others sold out months in advance.

It’s all part of a larger trend in sports travel, said Deanna Forgione Carey, general manager of NFL business for On Location, a hospitality and event production firm. She was part of the NFL’s marketing team for nearly a decade before joining On Location in 2015 and now leads its professional football experience and corporate partnership sales team. 

“There is an ever-increasing desire to have a more personalized and immersive experience at the Super Bowl and other major sporting events,” she said. “A ticket to the game is not enough.” 

On Location is the official hospitality partner for the Super Bowl, which will be held Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. The company provides the same role for FIFA, which will bring the World Cup to Levi’s Stadium, among other North American venues, this summer. 

The games and the high-rolling tourists who come to see them are not just an economic boost for the region but a chance for it to repair its reputation with an international audience that may not have heard about San Francisco’s recent glow-up. 

“These events aren’t just about sports. They’re about showcasing our city to a global audience, supporting local businesses, and creating a sense of connection with attendees and viewers across the world,” said Anna Marie Presutti, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association. “The economic and reputational boost from these global spotlights will last for years to come.”

On Location’s World Cup hospitality partnership is the biggest in sports history, according to the New York-based company, both in terms of sales and the number of teams participating, since more were added after the Qatar games in 2022. The month-long event is essentially the equivalent of over 100 Super Bowls playing in stadiums across sixteen cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, with reservations made from all 50 states and more than 75 countries so far. Many customers buy experiences at multiple venues, with two stops being the average. 

To see all six Bay Area World Cup matches would cost over $20,000 per person for the most luxurious package, which grants preferred entry and onsite parking (if available), premium sideline seats, and access to the Pitchside Lounge for gourmet food and cocktails before and after the game. 

Similarly high-end On Location hospitality packages for the Super Bowl can run from $7,000 to $17,000 per person. A pre-sale offering starting at $6,500 sold out quickly. More recently, so did its most premium package: the “On the 50” ticket guarantees a seat the 50-yard line as well as exclusive lounges serving premium cocktails and cuisine, plus the chance to hit the field as the confetti is still falling after the game. The company wouldn’t reveal its On the 50 pricing but it has three levels: General, Elite and Elite Diamond.

There’s been a 17% bump in total packages sold thus far compared to this year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans and a 25% increase over Glendale, Arizona, which hosted the game in 2023. 

About 40% of transactions for the 2026 Super Bowl have a California address twice as many Golden Staters compared to New Orleans at this point in the cycle — a sign that the state’s wealthy sports fans are lining up for access.

“There is tremendous excitement around the Super Bowl’s return to the Bay Area,” Carey said. “We’ve seen an added boost in early sales as local fans are eager to attend in their home state.”

For those from out of town, On Location’s Napa Valley all-inclusive package, which includes a four-night stay at Stanley Ranch and private winery tours, recently sold out, but packages that include stays in San Francisco or Pebble Beach are still available. While the 2024 game in Las Vegas remains the company’s strongest overall Super Bowl sales effort to date, the Bay Area has already surpassed it on all-inclusive packages. 

For $28,000 per couple or about $18,000 for one person, attendees can get a three-night stay at the Fairmont on Nob Hill, plus round-trip transportation to the game; a ticket in Levi’s Stadium’s 400 level near or in the end zone; an exclusive Friday-night concert by Sting at the Palace of Fine Arts; access to the NFL’s Super Bowl Experience at Moscone Center, which opens the Wednesday before the game and offers exhibits, challenges, and photo ops with the Vince Lombardi trophy; and entry to the On Location lounge and gifting suite on game day. Upgrades for prime seats or more exclusive lounges can cost $10,000 more per person. 

The On Location deals do not typically include flights, but that is part of the Super Bowl package from U.K.-based MVP Travel, which has been providing Brits with all-inclusive U.S. sports travel for nearly a decade.

Many of MVP’s regular-season NFL packages are available for around $1,300 per person for a two-person booking and include flights from Heathrow, three nights at a hotel, and a tailgate party.

But the Super Bowl package is 10 times that price, starting at around $14,600, and includes roundtrip coach flights from Heathrow to San Francisco; four nights at the Clift Royal Sonesta in Union Square; upper-corner or end-zone tickets to the game; a tailgate party with food, an open bar, and a chance to rub elbows with former and current NFL players; and access to the Super Bowl Experience at Moscone.

The NFL’s popularity has been on the rise in the U.K., said Ryan Roodt, marketing director for York-based MVP, and British interest in San Francisco is especially high. 

“U.K. fans have a real affinity with the 49ers, and San Francisco is an iconic tourist destination — so this trip is as much about the experience as it is the game,” he said. 

The company offers upgrades to its travel packages as well; so far clients seem more interested in seeing Alcatraz or exploring wine country than in getting better tickets for the game or flying in business class. 

If there’s been an international hit to San Francisco’s reputation, Roodt’s customers haven’t mentioned it, he said. 

“Our clients love San Francisco,” he said. “It’s a bucket-list destination for many U.K. travelers.” 

Some customers booked Super Bowl packages more than a year ago, while others are waiting to see which teams make it to the big game before committing. The company is waiting until the teams for the FIFA matchups are chosen Dec. 5 before releasing its packages for the World Cup, but as “a football-mad nation,” interest is high for those summer 2026 events. 

While many have already made plans for the big games, some premier events are still under wraps.

It’s a bit too soon to reveal details about what some of the biggest and most elaborate star-studded parties will look like for both the World Cup matches and the Super Bowl, but major Bay Area events are planned around both, according to representatives for Medium Rare and Authentic Live, which coproduce parties for Sports Illustrated, Shaquille O’Neal, and Guy Fieri. 

Sports Illustrated’s Super Bowl party, which is expected to have 5,000 attendees,  should be similar to branded celebrations the companies have hosted for the big game since 2019 (with the exception of a pandemic-related break in 2020). The SI party always sells out, even at $499 a ticket, and has included guests “at the cross section of sports and entertainment,” like Tom Brady, Jeff Bezos, and Kim Kardashian, with performances by the likes of Jack Harlow, Machine Gun Kelly, and Diplo. 

The event companies also put on Shaq’s Fun House, a carnival-themed Super Bowl weekend party hosted by the former basketball star, with its own lineup of celebs and musical guests, and Guy’s FlavorTown Tailgate, a free, family-friendly music and food festival hosted by Fieri, also over Super Bowl weekend.

Announcements on this year’s locations and headliners will begin in mid-December, as will ticket sales for the SI and Shaq parties.

Bespoke hospitality packages will range from $10,000 to $200,000. In past years, those have included everything from tables onstage next to the DJ booth to private jet charters to the event. 

These packages are created on a case-by-case basis, and priced accordingly, for “discerning guests wanting something above and beyond,” according to a Medium Rare and Authentic Live press rep.

At this point, it seems like that definition covers pretty much anyone attending the big games in the Bay next year. While the Super Bowl happens every year, for many people, it’s a “once-in-a-lifetime” moment,” according to MVP Travel’s Roodt.

“They want to soak up the city’s buzz, enjoy a real American tailgate, witness the halftime show, and be there when the Vince Lombardi Trophy is lifted,” he said. “It’s about being part of sporting history.”