Start making travel plans to see a historic World Cup game
This time next year, North America - mainly the United States - will be overcome with soccer fever.
The world's sport, the beautiful game, football ... whatever you prefer to call it, it is returning to the States next year for the first time in more than three decades.
So get ready. Check in with a travel adviser and get those trip plans in motion now before it's too late.
The FIFA World Cup will kick off on June 11, 2026, with 48 nations vying for the game's ultimate title over five weeks. A champion will be crowned just outside of New York City on July 19, 2026.
This tournament marks a significant shift from previous iterations, with FIFA expanding from 32 to 48 squads. That means more matches and more opportunities for travelers to experience this once-in-a-lifetime sporting event.
FIFA has selected 16 host cities for the tournament, including five in Canada and Mexico. Toronto, Vancouver, Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey will host World Cup clashes next year.
However, the bulk of the action will take place in the U.S., with iconic 1994 hosts like Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, New York (East Rutherford, New Jersey) and Dallas returning to the mix.
U.S. cities that will host World Cup action for the first time will include Kansas City, Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta, Houston and Seattle.
While Canada and Mexico will host 10 matches each, the U.S. will host 60, including the quarterfinals, semifinals and final.
Philadelphia is anticipating more than 500,000 soccer fans and anywhere from $147 to $262 million in visitor spending, while Missouri is projecting nearly $700 million in economic activity.
Propelled by the success of the NFL's Chiefs, Kansas City is poised to reach new heights when it hosts a quarterfinal clash on July 11, 2026.
"You really can't put an economic number to putting KC on a world stage ... that's the best advertisement for tourism," former Missouri Sen. John Rizzo said at the time of FIFA's selection in 2022. "We don't plan on World Cups, World Series or Super Bowls, but when they happen, they're just huge economic bonuses. We're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars that will flow back into Missouri."
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be historic for many reasons, but beyond everything else, this marks just the second time the U.S. will play host since the tournament was inaugurated nearly a century ago.
For Americans in search of an excuse to travel, the World Cup must be at the top of the list.
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