Game On, San Jose: South Bay Kicks off 2026 Youth Sports Initiative
Game On, San José brings together city leadership, professional sports teams, and community partners to provide thousands of San Jose students with sports and educational programming
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2026
Media Contact:
Tasha Dean, Chief Communications Officer, Office of Mayor Matt Mahan
SAN JOSÉ, CA - Today, Mayor Matt Mahan, joined by leaders from San José’s sports community, unveiled Game On, San José, a youth sports initiative aimed at getting students active, connecting them with professional athletes and sports-industry mentors, and ensuring global events such as the Super Bowl 2026 and FIFA World Cup leave a lasting legacy in San José classrooms and communities.
The program is expected to reach thousands of San Jose students and community members through a series of activations known as “Game On Moments,” which will take place both in classrooms and throughout the community. The launch event offered a preview of these experiences, with students from the Boys & Girls Club of Silicon Valley participating in sports drills led by athletes from local teams.
Participating teams include the San Francisco 49ers, the San Jose Sharks, the San Jose Earthquakes, the Golden State Warriors, the Golden State Valkyries, BayFC, and the San Jose Giants.
“Game On, San José is about turning a once-in-a-generation year into once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for our youth,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan. “We’re meeting students where they are — on the field and in the classroom — while also bringing them to events across San Jose so they feel more connected to the city they call home. Ultimately, Game On, San José is about building the confidence and skills young people need to win, both in sports and in life.”
“Through this collaborative initiative, San José’s youth will experience the excitement of a historic moment for the Bay Area in sports,” said San José City Manager Jennifer Maguire. “It will build a momentum that will extend beyond the 2026 major sporting events and create a legacy in our schools, on our fields and in our community. Thank you to all our partners for their collaboration on this vital effort and their commitment for investing in our youth.”
The program will run from January through June 2026 and aims to host 50 school and community activations citywide. These include on-campus physical activity programs, in-classroom or virtual mentorship sessions with locally renowned athletes, and communitywide events across San José.
"Sports have an incredible power to inspire young people, teach life skills, and open doors to opportunities far beyond the field," said Al Guido, President of the San Francisco 49ers. "Levi's Stadium is the only venue in history to host both the Super Bowl and the World Cup in the same calendar year. We're proud to help ensure these global events don't just pass through our community, but instead lift it up for years to come."
“As the Super Bowl and the FIFA World Cup come to our backyard this year, it is imperative that we step up to the spot and meet the moment fully,” said Brandi Chastain, Bay FC Co-Founder and USWNT legend. “We know that dreams have no parameters, so it is up to us to offer access and welcome everyone to events that stimulate our communities’ next game changers. At Bay FC, we are believers in a One Team culture, for when support is present, falling forward turns into growth, and those positive actions turn into innovation. Let’s be the city and community that shows what facilitators can conjure up, and then what those who are brave enough to step over the threshold and take the final kick create.”
“We’re excited to join the City and our partners to kick off Game On and Gamechangers to maximize the energy around the major sporting events that San Jose and our region will host during this pivotal SJ26 moment,” said Robert Davis, VP of Community Relations of the San Jose Earthquakes, who plan to distribute 15,000 soccer balls to kids during the lifetime of this initiative. “It’s our shared responsibility as a community to leverage this opportunity for our youth, and we’re proud to be part of this event to help launch such an important year.”
Residents can learn more here to keep up with the schedule of events.
About the City of San José
With nearly one million residents, San José is the largest city in the Bay Area and one of the nation's most diverse and creative. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center in the heart of Silicon Valley has resulted in the world's greatest concentration of technology talent and development.