49er Faithful shows up early for preseason home opener

49er Faithful return to Levi's Stadium for preseason home opener

The San Francisco 49ers are playing their first preseason game of the year Saturday, hosting the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. KTVU's James Torrez reports.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The San Francisco 49ers are playing their first preseason game of the year Saturday, hosting the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

The team, which could not play its final three home games at Levi's Stadium last season in December and January because of a Santa Clara County COVID-19 health order that banned contact sports and prompted them to play the games in Arizona, is planning to host fans at full capacity for home games in Santa Clara this season, starting with Saturday's 5:30 p.m. preseason opener.

People will not be required to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID test to go to a game like Saturday's, but will be required to wear a mask while in parts of the stadium that are indoors, according to the team.

49ers fans arriving early for preseason home opener

Levi's Stadium requires ticketing and parking passes to be on a mobile device, and is a cashless venue that only accepts cards or mobile payments for concessions, merchandise or other purchases.

Parking lots at the stadium will open at 2 p.m. and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority buses will run every 10 minutes from the Milpitas Transit Center and Mountain View Transit Center from 2 p.m. until about an hour after the end of the game. VTA's light-rail service to the stadium is still suspended following the May mass shooting at an agency maintenance facility in San Jose.

Following Saturday's game, the 49ers will play two more preseason games, one at the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 22 and the last one back at home hosting the Las Vegas Raiders on Aug. 29. The regular season will start with two road games before the home opener on Sept. 26 against the Green Bay Packers.