San Francisco 49ers

Palo Alto sits in an odd spot for 49ers fans. The team carries San Francisco's name, but its stadium is in Santa Clara, about 12 miles south of downtown Palo Alto and more than 40 miles from San Francisco City Hall. For a Palo Alto household that makes the 49ers the most local big-league team of all. It also makes Sunday traffic on US 101 a real factor in planning a game day.

This page is about the team: where the 2026 season stands as of November 2, how to get to home games by car or by train, what to know about tickets and kids and where to watch when you are not going. For the building itself, including gates, bag rules and the stadium museum, see our guide to Levi's Stadium. For every team in the region on one page, start with watching sports from Palo Alto.

The team in 2026

The 49ers play in the NFC West of the National Football League. The franchise marked its 80th anniversary in 2026, a theme that runs through the club's website and home game promotions this year. Home games are at Levi's Stadium, which opened in 2014 and replaced Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

The 2026 season started far from home. The 49ers opened on Thursday, September 10, against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia and won 27 to 7. They then won five more in a row, including four at Levi's Stadium against Miami, Arizona, Denver and Washington and a road win in Seattle. The first loss came at Atlanta on October 25, which left the team at 6 wins and 1 loss heading into its Week 8 bye. On November 2 the 49ers are rested and preparing for the second half of the season.

The rest of the 2026 schedule

This is the remaining regular season as listed on the 49ers schedule page in early November. Times are Pacific. The NFL can move Sunday games into prime time late in the season, so check the team's page in the week before you go.

That leaves four regular season games in Santa Clara. The Vikings game is a designated international game, so do not drive to Levi's Stadium that Sunday. The January 3 game against the Eagles is the last scheduled home date of the regular season. The club lists a Kyle Juszczyk bobblehead giveaway for it. Playoff games, if the 49ers earn any at home, are sold separately and usually go on sale only a few days ahead.

Getting there from Palo Alto

By Caltrain and VTA light rail

The car-free route is the one Caltrain recommends on its events page. Board a southbound train at the Palo Alto or California Avenue station and ride to Mountain View, which takes about 7 minutes from Palo Alto. Cross to the VTA light rail platform beside the Caltrain tracks and take the Orange Line toward Alum Rock. Caltrain says to ride 12 stops to Great America, which sits beside the stadium on Tasman Drive.

1. Load Clipper or set up a contactless card before you leave. Both work on Caltrain and VTA.
2. Plan for the light rail leg to take longer than the train. Game day cars are full and stops are slow.
3. After the final whistle, expect long lines at the Great America platform. Waiting 30 minutes in the stadium area often means a calmer ride.
4. Check VTA for added event service before you go, especially for late games.

Our Caltrain guide covers stations, zones and Clipper. The Mountain View station page explains the transfer to light rail in more detail.

By car

Driving is simple on a map: US 101 south, then the Great America Parkway exit. In practice game day traffic backs up well before the exit, so leave early. The team sells parking passes online ahead of each game, which beats circling for a spot. Some fans park near a Mountain View or Sunnyvale light rail station and ride the last few miles. Rideshare and robotaxi drop-off zones change by event. Our rideshare guide covers what serves Palo Alto.

Tickets and cheaper seats

The 49ers sell single game tickets through their account manager on 49ers.com and use Ticketmaster's NFL Ticket Exchange for resale. Prices move with the opponent, the date and the team's record. A 6 and 1 start does not help bargain hunters. Division games against the Seahawks and Rams are usually the dearest of the year. Treat any figure you see as a snapshot that can change by the hour.

• Look at the upper level. The 400 level sections are typically the least expensive seats in the building.
• Compare the Raiders and Eagles games. Rivalry and marquee games draw higher resale prices. A weaker opponent or a late December date can be cheaper.
• Buy official. Use the team's site or a major marketplace with buyer protection. Levi's Stadium tickets are mobile, so a screenshot will not get you in.

To compare listings across games, you can search 49ers tickets on Ticketmaster, then confirm entry times and parking on the team's own site.

Tips for families

An NFL game is a long day for small children. Kickoff is only the middle of it once you add the train, the security line and the slow exit. A few habits help:

• Read the stadium's ticket policy for babies and toddlers on the team's site before you buy.
• Bring ear protection for young kids. Levi's Stadium is loud, especially on third downs.
• Use the stadium's clear bag policy. A clear tote with snacks and sunscreen saves a trip back to the car.
• For a first game, the 1:25 p.m. kickoffs are easier than the 5:20 p.m. night games, which end close to 9 p.m.

If your children are more excited by playing than watching, our youth sports guide covers flag football and other local leagues.

Where to watch in and near Palo Alto

Most Sundays it is easier to watch from a bar stool than from section 400. These places say on their own websites that they show games:

• The Pro, 541 Ramona Street. The revived Old Pro reopened in January 2026 and calls itself a classic sports bar. Its website posts a TV schedule and takes reservations, which is useful for a big game.
• The Patio, 412 Emerson Street. A downtown sports bar with a large outdoor seating area, 21 flat-screen TVs and what it calls the longest bar in Palo Alto. It opens daily at 11 a.m. and does not take reservations, per its site.
• St. Stephen's Green, 223 Castro Street, Mountain View. An Irish pub that bills itself as an all-sports bar and restaurant. Its website lists Sunday opening at 11 a.m.

Arrive early for a 1:25 p.m. kickoff against a rival. Our nightlife guide covers the rest of the downtown bar scene.

A short team history

The 49ers were founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and joined the NFL in 1950. For their first 25 seasons they played at Kezar Stadium near Golden Gate Park. They moved to Candlestick Park in 1971 and stayed until the end of the 2013 season, then moved south to Santa Clara for 2014.

The team's peak came in the 1980s and early 1990s under coach Bill Walsh and his successor George Seifert, with quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young and receiver Jerry Rice. The 49ers won the Super Bowl after the 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989 and 1994 seasons. Walsh's offense, built on short and precise passes, spread across the league and was taught to a generation of coaches. Walsh also had two spells as Stanford's head coach, which is one reason the 49ers and the Peninsula have long shared fans.

Levi's Stadium has become a big event venue in its own right. It hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2016 and Super Bowl LX in February 2026, along with matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For college football closer to home, see our guide to Stanford Stadium.

Frequently asked questions