By Robert Haugh

A majority of the Santa Clara City Council gathered together on October 29 at a FIFA 2026 World Cup bid presentation.

That would be a potential violation of the Brown Act. That’s a state law that prohibits a majority of an elected body from meeting to discuss public issues behind closed doors.

The October 29th FIFA presentation was a private meeting.

According to Councilman Anthony Becker’s calendar: he and three other colleagues Raj Chahal, Kevin Park, and Karen Hardy met with FIFA officials and 49ers staff members on October 29 at 3 pm.

Councilman Anthony Becker’s Calendar for October 29, 2021:

Chahal and Hardy also list the meeting on their calendars.

But Park does not. Park only reports meetings through October 28 on his calendar. Park doesn’t report anything for the end of the month. Hmmm.

This would not be the first time that Park has failed to report a meeting with the 49ers on his calendar. 

All four Councilmembers also met with 49ers officials in October regarding the FIFA World Cup bid, an item that has yet to be on a City Council agenda. 

And according to City staff, the City has been presented with no information from FIFA or the 49ers.  The team created the host committee to bring World Cup games to Levi’s Stadium in 2026. 

Councilman Suds Jain has met with 49ers officials to discuss the FIFA bid, but he did not attend the presentation on October 29.

Becker also reports on his calendar an October 29 FIFA dinner at 5 pm, right after the presentation. Becker lists Chahal and Hardy as other attendees. But Chahal and Hardy did not report the dinner on their calendars.

49ers Meetings

The October calendars also show multiple meetings between the 49ers and the “49er Five” on the Council.

It looks like the “49er Five” met with the team approximately once a week in October.

Chahal and Hardy led the way with four 49ers meetings on October 6, 13, 20 and 27. Jain also had four meetings with the 49ers on October 4, 11, 18 and 25. 

Becker and Park had three 49ers meetings on October 4, 11 and 18 — all with Jain. 

Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Councilwoman Kathy Watanabe, who represents the City’s northside where Levi’s Stadium is, did not record any meetings with the 49ers.