104 matches. 16 cities. 1, 2, or 3 Week definitive routes.
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The first step in planning your World Cup 2026 adventure is being realistic about your time and budget. This tournament spans an entire continent, not just a single country like Qatar 2022 or Germany 2006.
Best for limited vacation time or specific team focus.
The sweet spot. Multiple rounds and regions without burnout.
Once-in-a-lifetime journey. Follow a team deep into the tournament.
Before you copy-paste an itinerary, understand the logic. We learned these lessons the hard way in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022—mistakes here cost time and money.
The Match Schedule dictates everything. In the Group Stage (June 11-27), matches happen daily. As the tournament progresses to the Round of 16 (June 30-July 3) and beyond, rest days increase. If you want volume, go early. If you want stakes, go late.
Do not underestimate distances. A "quick hop" from New York to Dallas is a 4-hour flight plus airport time. Stick to regional clusters to save money and sanity. See our Flight Booking Guide for hub strategies.
Match days are exhilarating but exhausting—often 10+ hours of walking, standing, and cheering. Schedule a "zero day" after every 3 match days. You will need it to do laundry, sleep in, and actually see the city you are visiting.
Perfect for the "get in, soak it up, get out" strategy. We focus on single regions to minimize travel time.
NYC, Philadelphia, Boston | 3 Matches | Budget: $3,500 - $5,500
Land at EWR (closest to stadium) or JFK. Settle into your base. We recommend staying in Manhattan for the vibe, or Jersey City for budget/proximity.
Morning sleep-in (jet lag). Head to the stadium early (3pm) for Fan Fest. MetLife Guide. The train from Penn Station takes ~30 mins but lines will be long.
Highlight: Post-match celebration in Times Square.
Morning: Statue of Liberty or Central Park.
Afternoon: Amtrak to Philadelphia (1.5 hrs). It is faster and less stressful than driving.
Evening: Cheesesteaks in Old City.
Explore the Rocky Steps and Liberty Bell in the morning. Head to the Sports Complex in South Philly for the match. The atmosphere here is intense.
Philadelphia Stadium GuideLong travel day. Amtrak Acela (5 hrs) or fly PHL-BOS (1.5 hrs). Arrive in Boston for a seafood dinner in the North End.
Take the MBTA Commuter Rail from South Station to Foxborough. It is a dedicated train for events. Gillette is huge and loud.
Boston Stadium GuideFly out of Logan (BOS). If time permits, do the Freedom Trail walk before your flight.
Los Angeles & San Francisco | 2 Matches | Budget: $4,000 - $6,000
Focus on California. Fly into LAX. Spend 4 days in LA (SoFi Stadium match + Hollywood/Beach). Drive or fly to San Francisco (Levi's Stadium match + Wine Country).
With 14 days, you can comfortably cover two distinct regions or one massive loop. This allows for 3-5 matches and actual rest days.
Dallas, Houston, Monterrey, Mexico City | 4 Matches | Budget: $4,500 - $7,000
Authentic football culture. Start in Dallas (AT&T Stadium). Drive/Bus to Houston (NRG Stadium). Fly to Monterrey (Estadio BBVA). Finish in Mexico City (Azteca). The food on this trip will be legendary.
For the superfan. This is a marathon. Pace yourself, hydrate, and get ready for 6-8 matches across 3 countries.
Start in Vancouver (Sea-to-Sky highway, 2 matches). Train/Drive to Seattle (Space Needle, 1 match).
Vancouver GuideFly Toronto → Boston. Take the train down the corridor: Boston → NYC → Philadelphia. Catch 3 matches in this dense cluster.
Boston GuideFly Philly → Mexico City. End your trip with the most passionate fans in the world. Spend 4 days here, seeing Pyramids of Teotihuacan and 2 matches at the legendary Estadio Azteca.
Mexico City Guide| Category | Budget Level | Comfort Level | Luxury Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights | $1,200 | $2,500 | $5,000+ |
| Accommodation | $3,000 | $6,000 | $15,000+ |
| Match Tickets | $1,500 | $3,000 | $10,000+ |
| Food & Fun | $1,500 | $3,000 | $8,000+ |
| TOTAL | $7,200 | $14,500 | $38,000+ |
If you only care about one country, you cannot plan 100% until the Final Draw (Dec 2025). However, you can book refundable hotels in likely hubs based on group seeds.
Pick one major hub (e.g., Dallas or LA) and stay there for 2 weeks. Fly out for day trips to matches in nearby cities, then return to the same hotel bed.