Team officials say the struggling economy, as well as bureaucratic issues will delay the project even further.
The team had hoped to put the stadium plan before Santa Clara voters in June, but they're now looking at November at the earliest.
Despite the delay, the team has no plans to leave town.
"It is important to stay in the Bay Area and that's what we're trying to do. We want to give ourselves options, and we are looking at some improvements at Candlestick, renovations, things like that, but again our first priority is Santa Clara, we think it's important to have a new football stadium," 49ers President Jed York said.
The 49ers say it is unlikely the new stadium will be completed by their self-imposed deadline of 2012.
