PayPal Park

PayPal Park is a compact soccer stadium on Coleman Avenue in San Jose, right beside the runways of San Jose Mineta International Airport. It is home to the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer and Bay FC, the region's National Women's Soccer League club. With about 18,000 seats, steep stands and a canopy over much of the crowd, it feels louder and closer than its size suggests. Planes on final approach pass low overhead during matches.

From Palo Alto, it is about 15 miles down US 101 or a Caltrain ride to Santa Clara plus a walk or a short bus hop. This guide covers the stadium, match day logistics and the rules the club publishes. For the teams themselves and how to follow them, see our guide to watching sports from Palo Alto.

About the stadium

Before this stadium, the Earthquakes played in small shared venues, most recently Buck Shaw Stadium at Santa Clara University. PayPal Park was built on a site known as Airport West and opened in early 2015 at a reported cost of about $100 million. It was called Avaya Stadium until 2020, Earthquakes Stadium for about a year and PayPal Park since 2021.

A few features stand out:

• The Scoreboard Bar. Behind the northeast goal, the club says this bar runs more than 310 linear feet, which it calls the largest exterior bar in North America.
• The fan zone. A large outdoor area behind the same end holds the double-sided video scoreboard and space to gather before kickoff.
• Steep seating. The stands rise sharply, so even upper rows are close to the field.
• The Devotion Wall. Left of the main gates, it lists the names of season ticket holders from the stadium's first season in 2015.

Bay FC signed a five-year agreement in 2023 to play here while it plans a stadium of its own. The deal included a new building at the stadium for the team's locker room and offices.

What happens at PayPal Park

Soccer fills most of the calendar. The MLS regular season runs from late winter into fall. The Earthquakes listed their final 2026 regular season home match for October 31, so any further home dates this year would be playoff games announced by the club. Bay FC's NWSL season also runs from spring into fall. The stadium hosts other events too, such as international friendlies, U.S. Open Cup matches and private events.

Tickets for Earthquakes matches and most stadium events are sold through Tixr, the club's ticketing partner. Children 3 and older need a ticket. Start from the club's PayPal Park pages for schedules and links.

Stadium tours

The club offers tours by appointment on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. You request one through the club's chat or front office. A representative then calls back to set a time. Tours are not offered on match days.

Getting there from Palo Alto

Caltrain plus a walk or a bus

Ride Caltrain south to Santa Clara, one stop before San Jose Diridon. Palo Alto is in Zone 3 and Santa Clara in Zone 4, so it is a two-zone fare ($6.25 in October 2026, $6.50 from January 1, 2027). Check the timetable carefully, because some express trains skip Santa Clara.

From the station, Caltrain's directions are to head toward Brokaw Road, turn right on Brokaw, right on Wondo Way and left on Earthquakes Way, about a 22 minute walk. If you would rather ride, VTA bus 60 leaves from beside the platform and reaches the Coleman and Earthquakes stop in two stops. Our Caltrain guide covers fares and late trains.

The free shuttle from downtown

If you want dinner downtown first, the Earthquakes run free Lux Buses from the corner of St. John and Market streets near San Pedro Square to Earthquakes Way and Coleman Avenue. The club says they replaced VTA's discontinued Line 231. Buses start two hours before kickoff and run until kickoff. After the match they load outside the main gate. The last one leaves 45 minutes to an hour after the final whistle (the club's pages give both times). Space is limited, so go early. From Palo Alto you can reach San Pedro Square by Caltrain to Diridon and a 20 minute walk.

Driving

Take US 101 south toward San Jose. The club recommends the Trimble Road and De La Cruz Boulevard exit (exit 391), then De La Cruz Boulevard and a slight left onto Coleman Avenue. Coming this way lets you turn right into the lots instead of waiting for a left turn. Allow 20 to 30 minutes outside commute hours.

Bike

Bike parking is on the north and south ends of the Earthquakes Way sidewalk next to the stadium.

Parking, in general terms

The club lists four main parking areas: the Audi Lot, Parking Structure 1, Parking Structure 2 and the Ford Tailgate Lot. Its parking page sets out the rules for MLS matches:

• Lots open three hours before kickoff and close one hour after the match.
• Payment is by credit card, debit card, mobile payment or prepaid pass. Cash is no longer accepted.
• Prepaid passes are sold through Tixr and inventory is limited. Prices can differ for non-MLS events.
• Event parking is allowed only in the stadium's lots. Cars in surrounding lots or streets may be ticketed or towed.
• The garages have a 7 foot height limit. Backing in makes for a faster exit.
• Disabled parking is in the Audi Lot off Newhall Drive and costs $30 with a valid placard.

Tailgating is allowed only in the Ford Tailgate Lot, limited to the space in front of or behind your car. The club provides coal disposal bins there. For rideshare, the parking page points to the south end of Aviation Avenue.

Bag policy and stadium rules

According to the club's guest services page, PayPal Park bans bags and backpacks except:

• Clear bags no larger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches
• One-gallon clear plastic zip-top bags
• A small clutch or non-clear fanny pack up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches
• One diaper bag per family, with a child

Unlike many venues, PayPal Park has a free bag check trailer along Earthquakes Way for bags that do not comply. Gates open two hours before kickoff. Pets are not allowed, except trained service animals. Personal photos are fine, but professional cameras and video recording are not. Free Wi-Fi covers the stadium, family restrooms are behind several sections and a nursing pod sits behind section 126.

Food and drink

The club says food trucks are at every home game, with the lineup posted in the match guide before each match. Inside, stands and the Scoreboard Bar serve drinks. Designated drivers who register at guest services behind section 101 get a free fountain drink.

The streets around the stadium are mostly offices and airport businesses, so there is little to eat within walking distance outside the gates. The best pre-match plan is dinner at San Pedro Square and the free shuttle. Our guide to where to eat in downtown San Jose lists places and hours there. Santa Clara's restaurants, covered in our Santa Clara food guide, are a short drive west.

The stadium is close to the airport terminals, so it also works for visitors flying in or out. Our guide to getting here from San Jose Mineta airport covers the connections. For a match night stay, you can compare hotels near San Jose airport, several of which are a short ride from the stadium.

Frequently asked questions