When you're visiting the Bay Area this summer, make sure you know the local soccer playbook. Where are the best soccer bars? Where can I play a pickup game? What names do I need to know? We asked our local experts to help create the ultimate soccer fan playbook so you can focus on the action and enjoy San Fran like a local!
Best Place To Watch A Game Live
PayPal Park is home to both Bay FC and the San Jose Earthquakes. It’s a relatively small stadium (18K capacity), but there's not a bad seat in the house. You have a great view of the field from pretty much anywhere in the stadium!
Best Soccer Bar In Town
Jack's Bar in San Jose is a great place to watch games, and it often hosts large viewing parties. Athletic Club is another soccer-centric bar in the Bay Area that prioritizes showing soccer on its screens.
Best Place To Play Soccer
If you’re looking for small-sided games, Sofive Alameda Soccer Center has indoor and outdoor fields. Otherwise, the Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex in Berkeley has full-size fields, is right along the bay, and gets big turnouts.
Local Soccer Legend
Chris Wondolowski grew up going to San Jose Clash games before being drafted by the Earthquakes in 2005. He went with the team when they relocated to Houston, but was traded back to San Jose in 2008 and stayed with the club until 2021. He set just about every MLS record when it comes to goals scored (most goals, most goals for one club, most consecutive years of double-digit goals, most non-penalty goals, etc). To top it all off, he is the nicest person off the field and will always make time to take a picture with a fan.
San Fran’s Can’t-Miss Eats
You gotta go to Taquería El Farrolito in San Francisco. They serve really good food, but they also have deep ties to soccer with a professional team that bears the restaurant’s name. The club team made some iconic runs in the US Open Cup and even won the championship in 1993. Within the American hardcore soccer fandom, El Farrolito is widely known. Other great spots in the area are Lo Coco's in Berkeley or Golden Boy Pizza.
Local Tips
“Remember that the games are all being played at Levi's Stadium, which is located in Santa Clara, about 45 minutes south of San Francisco. Your best bet would be to fly into San Jose and stay somewhere in San Jose or Santa Clara. Especially on gamedays, I expect the traffic from San Francisco to Levi's Stadium to be frustrating."
Local Soccer Post Stores
Visit Soccer Post Alameda, Soccer Post Dublin, Soccer Post El Cerrito, Soccer Post Lafayette, Soccer Post Modesto, Soccer Post Pleasant Hill, Soccer Post San Carlos, and Soccer Post San Jose to support local soccer in the Bay Area! Gear up for whatever you need, whether it's a jersey to wear to the stadium or cleats and a ball for pickup, and make sure to get your San Fran Host City Tees, coming soon!
