SF Artist LeRoid David Designs Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Bay Area Poster

LeRoid David had always dreamed of making sports art. He never imagined that dream would place his work on the official poster for the FIFA World Cup.

The San Francisco native and San Francisco State University alumnus won a juried contest run by the Bay Area Host Committee to design the Official FIFA World Cup 26 SF Bay Area Host City Poster. The BAHC announced his selection on March 30, 2025, after accepting submissions from Bay Area artists between September 10 and December 6, 2024. FIFA and the BAHC jointly judged the entries, which were sourced through partnerships with local art programs across the region.

David's design presents a bold, layered composition: the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge emerge from the Bay Area's signature fog, with Levi's Stadium anchoring the center of the image. Vibrant patterns and colors frame the landmarks, reflecting what the BAHC described as the community's diversity and energy. NBC Bay Area's Robert Handa noted the design also carries "a touch of Silicon Valley."

"This piece is all about connection — bridging cultures, cities, and the world through football," David said in the BAHC announcement.

A second-generation Filipino American, David has built a freelance portfolio that includes work for NBC Sports Bay Area, the San Francisco Giants, the Golden State Warriors, the San Francisco 49ers, and the San Jose Sharks. He also works full-time for Sacramento County, where he currently lives, and a friend had to forward him the BAHC's social media call for submissions before he even knew the contest existed.

The achievement has left him visibly shaken. "To this very day, I still get pretty emotional because, you know, I've always dreamt of doing sports art in my life, and I'd never thought of doing anything as big as FIFA World Cup," he told NBC Bay Area. He has credited his mother's habit of saving his childhood drawings and report cards as a thread connecting his earliest artistic instincts to the World Cup stage. "I used to make fun of her for keeping everything that she had of me," he said. "Now I look back... and it all makes sense."

The poster is one of 16 Host City Posters FIFA commissioned for the 2026 tournament, each intended to capture the character of a specific host city. All 16 became available for purchase on FIFA's official website starting April 19, 2025. David also appeared at fan Fests and FIFA events following the announcement, where he became, in the words of NBC Bay Area, "an instant attraction." The San Francisco Examiner published photos of him holding the poster alongside Mayor Daniel Lurie.

Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara is scheduled to host six World Cup matches, with the Bay Area slate running from June 13 through July 1, 2026. San Francisco is one of 16 North American host cities, the first time the tournament has operated at this scale on the continent since 1994. David, a self-described soccer fan, said he is still processing the scope of it. "For something as huge as the World Cup, I can't imagine what it's going to be like," he said. He added that he is hoping his poster win might help him score tickets: "I am so hoping to be there.