Matt Mahan, who recently faced a setback in California’s gubernatorial primary, now finds an opportunity for a comeback with the World Cup energizing his position as the mayor of Silicon Valley’s largest city.
San Jose is experiencing a boom in sports tourism, poised to expand its economic gains as the U.S. national team enters knockout play in Santa Clara. Mahan shared with POLITICO that although he hasn’t attended a match in the neighboring city, he’s been actively participating in watch parties in San Jose. The turnout has been so high that some attendees resort to watching from the tops of parking garages for better views.
The official FIFA watch party at San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose is broadcasting all 104 matches, drawing over 300,000 fans according to city estimates.
“It’s been just an incredible experience,” Mahan remarked. “We’re on track to double, if not triple, the amount of attendance we expected.”
A shooting incident near the venue on Sunday highlighted the security challenges of large gatherings. However, city officials clarified that the tragic event was unrelated to the World Cup festivities and did not disrupt ongoing match viewings. The watch parties continued on Monday, with an additional screen added to manage the crowds.
Today’s U.S. match against Bosnia and Herzegovina marks the last of six games hosted in the South Bay, concluding a significant sports year that included the Super Bowl and NCAA March Madness. San Jose officials adapted their plans for this extended international event based on previous experiences, adding more screens to the watch parties to ease congestion.
“We learned from the NFL Super Bowl that the center of the action can get crowded, so we’ve set up multiple large screens to help spread people out,” Mahan explained.
Local governments collaborated to prepare for these major events, with San Jose hiring dedicated staff for the task. The planning process, led by former Olympic speed skater Tommy O’Hare, took two years, stemming from the city’s involvement in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada’s joint World Cup bid over ten years ago.
The city launched a marketing effort to draw visitors to San Jose Mineta International Airport, a lesser-known alternative to SFO, yet conveniently close to Levi’s Stadium. Although Mahan refrained from naming specific individuals due to security concerns, he noted that many foreign dignitaries have arrived at SJC for the tournament.
Representatives from China, South Korea, and several other countries are attending a concurrent international summit in San Jose this week, alongside expected participants from Bay Area tech companies like NVIDIA and Apple.
Mahan, a Democrat who placed sixth in California’s jungle primary for governor in June, emphasized that the focus has been on enhancing the fan experience rather than international diplomacy.
“Our North Star has been ensuring everyone can enjoy a fun, accessible, and memorable World Cup experience in downtown San Jose, regardless of whether they have a ticket to the big game,” Mahan stated. “I believe we’ve shown that we’re delivering on that promise.”
