San Jose prepares to welcome the world in 2026

San Jose expects large numbers of visitors for major 2026 sporting events and is coordinating arts, hospitality and public projects to highlight the city's cultural diversity.

San Jose will host an unprecedented number of visitors in 2026 as major sporting events and competitions arrive. City leaders, hospitality partners, regional teams, venues and the airport have coordinated preparations to position San Jose as a home base and to create opportunities for residents. Arts and cultural groups are central to those plans, with marketing support from Visit San Jose and a new SJ2026 mobile website to promote performances and events. City programs include a series of temporary public art installations intended to activate public spaces and spotlight local artists. Key developments: - San Jose expects visitors for Super Bowl 60, NCAA March Madness and the FIFA World Cup in 2026. - Visit San Jose is providing resources and the SJ2026 mobile website to help arts groups promote events and reach new audiences. - The Content Magazine Cultural Guide, produced with Visit San Jose and local hotels, will be released on Jan. 26 and distributed in hotels and at the city's new visitor center, The Locker Room. - The San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs is planning large-scale temporary public art installations throughout 2026, many with multimedia or interactive elements. One installation, Invisible Skies San Jose, is scheduled for Jan. 31 and is expected to involve about 2,000 local participants carrying prop umbrellas displaying celestial images. - Invisible Skies San Jose is led by artist Elizabeth Turk and is a collaboration with ETProjects, the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, Lick Observatory, Children's Discovery Museum, San Jose State University, Team San Jose and other partners; additional public art activations are planned for March and June. Summary: City coordination of hospitality, arts and public programming aims to highlight San Jose's cultural diversity and to support local businesses and arts organizations through increased visitor activity in 2026. Planned items include the Content Magazine Cultural Guide on Jan. 26, the Invisible Skies installation at City Hall on Jan. 31, and further public art projects in March and June. Organizers note marketing support from Visit San Jose and that local arts grant funding is connected to hotel stays through the transient occupancy tax.