By Angelica Medina
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb 2 (Reuters) – The Bay Area is set to achieve an unprecedented sporting feat as Levi’s Stadium becomes the first venue in the world to host both a Super Bowl and a FIFA World Cup match in the same year.
Although the region’s World Cup hosting duties have been known since FIFA unveiled the tournament schedule details in December, the Bay Area Host Committee used a press conference on Monday to highlight its momentum as it kicks off Super Bowl week.
The Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots is scheduled for Sunday.
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara will host six World Cup matches in June and July, making it the only venue globally to stage both the Super Bowl and FIFA’s signature tournament within months of each other.
“Brandon Schneider and the Golden State Warriors put on a great All-Star Game,” San Francisco 49ers President Al Guido said. “I know that we’re going to put on a great Super Bowl and a couple of months from now, we’ll host the World Cup, being the only region and only stadium to host both in the same calendar year.”
The Bay Area hosted the NBA All-Star Game at San Francisco’s Chase Center in February last year, with festivities occurring also in Oakland.
Guido cited that event as proof of the region’s ability to execute major sporting spectacles.
“You need a team to pull that off,” he said, praising collaboration with public sector partners across the Bay Area.
The Super Bowl alone is expected to generate $500 million in economic impact and create more than 10,000 jobs across the region, Guido said.
Zaileen Janmohamed, president of the Bay Area Host Committee, said the Super Bowl would showcase the region’s “spirit of inclusion, innovation, and impact” across nine counties.
“Get ready for a Super Bowl like no other,” Janmohamed said.
The World Cup kicks off on June 11 and will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with matches scheduled at venues across North America.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
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