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Levi's Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers, is reportedly expected to be chosen as the host of Super Bowl 60 in 2026 during the spring owners meetings in Minneapolis next week, league sources told Sports Business Journal.
NFL officials have reportedly been in "detailed discussions" with 49ers executives "for months" and team CEO Jed York told reporters "my optimism is very high" when previously asked about being in consideration in March. Sources said Levi's Stadium was expected to be announced after the 49ers placed a bid for Super Bowl 60, which would then likely be approved by the league at the meetings barring a sudden change in direction.
"If the Bay Area has the opportunity, we would be honored to host Super Bowl LX," 49ers president Al Guido said in a statement obtained by ESPN on Thursday (May 18).
The Niners had reportedly sought a $120 million loan from the NFL's stadium fund in order to make renovations to Levi's Stadium in March amid the team's speculated interest in hosting another Super Bowl. Santa Clara had previously played host to Super Bowl 50 in 2016, less than two years after Levi's Stadium officially opened, while the Bay Area had previously hosted Super Bowl XIX, when the Niners defeated the Miami Dolphins at Stanford Stadium in 1985.
"My optimism is very high," York said on March 28 via ESPN. "I feel very confident that we're going to get a Super Bowl in the near future. And it would be great to get Super Bowl 60 after hosting Super Bowl 50. ... It would be fantastic to be able to bring that game, certainly after bringing the World Cup to Levi's Stadium and having the Super Bowl to follow that. Those are two truly the largest sporting events in the world, and having those back-to-back would be fantastic."
The next two Super Bowls are scheduled to be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (February 10, 2024) and Caesars Superdome in New Orleans (February 9, 2025).