The Golden State will soon be home to the world’s most renowned athletic events

SACRAMENTO – As the Bay Area wraps up NBA All-Star 2025, which was projected to generate approximately $350M in economic impact, California will continue to shine on the global stage with a lineup of major athletic events. These events will collectively generate billions in economic activity and foster community engagement as visitors from around the world experience the region’s culture, attractions, and hospitality.

🏀 2025 Bay Area and 2026 Los Angeles NBA All-Star Games 

• NBA All-Star is an annual mid-season showcase featuring the league’s top stars competing in events including the All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday Night which consists of the Skills Challenge, 3-Point and Slam Dunk, as well as the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and numerous community activations across the host city. NBA All-Star generates significant economic and cultural impact for the host market.
• NBA All-Star 2025 in the San Francisco Bay Area was projected to generate approximately $350M in economic impact, supporting 3,000 jobs, and attracting 135,000 visitors. California will host back-to-back with NBA All-Star 2026 in Los Angeles.

🛹 2025, 2026, and 2027 X Games in Sacramento

• The X Games are a televised sports festival that features competitive skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, and BMX. 
• Over the next three summers, Sacramento’s Cal Expo will host the games with an estimated 35,000 attendees anticipated daily.

🏈 2026 Super Bowl LX and 2027 Super Bowl LXI

• The National Football League’s championship game will host Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California and Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
• Super Bowl LX is projected to generate a total economic impact of approximately $500 million, with an estimated 90,000 visitors from outside the Bay Area to be expected.

⚽ 2026 FIFA World Cup 

• The 2026 FIFA World Cup is an international soccer tournament that will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico and will mark the first time the tournament will feature 48 teams.
• The total estimated economic impact for the Bay Area is approximately $555 million with an estimated 260,000 out-of-town visitors. Los Angeles is projected to see an economic impact of approximately $594 million with approximately 180,000 out-of-town visitors.

🏅 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games

• The 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, set to take place in Los Angeles, will showcase global sporting talent on the biggest stage in sports.

According to the LA28 Games, the sporting event will contribute towards equitable access to youth sports as LA28 invested $160 million in sports for youth across LA. 

Continuing robust support for LA

With California front and center for these world-class sporting events, the state is working diligently to prioritize a fast and safe recovery for people and businesses impacted by the LA fires. From the state’s private and philanthropic partnerships, to coordination with federal and local government, California continues to maximize the impact of ongoing rebuilding efforts. 

For more information and resources, please visit https://www.ca.gov/LAfires/ 

California’s booming tourism economy

California has the largest market share of tourism in the nation. Travel spending in the state reached an all-time high of $150.4 billion in 2023, surpassing the record $144.9 billion spent in 2019 – spending that is 3.8% higher than 2019 and 5.6% higher than 2022.

The new travel-spending record generated $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue by visitors in 2023, marking a 3% increase over 2019. Tourism created 64,900 new jobs in 2023, bringing total industry employment to 1,155,000.