This summer time as much as 6.5 million worldwide guests will descend upon North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It’s the first time ever that three nations will host the match, sending worldwide soccer followers to 16 cities all through Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
As stadiums promote out, many soccer lovers will journey to host cities whether or not or not they will snag a ticket, says Paul Caine, the president of FIFA’s official hospitality companion, On Location. “People just want to be where the energy is,” he says. “Many of the cities are pulling out all the stops.”
The match kicks off at the well-known Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which has a roster of occasions deliberate to take spectators past the stadium: Travelers can study the historic Mesoamerican ball video games at archaeological websites reminiscent of Teotihuacán and Templo Mayor, pattern delicacies from the nation’s 32 states at the México de Mis Sabores food festival from June 5 by way of July 22, and attend raucous watch events at the metropolis’s historic Zócalo.
The motion then continues on to Los Angeles, the place the US Men’s National Team performs its first recreation, on June 12. During the metropolis’s eight matches, an official FIFA Fan Festival can be held at the LA Memorial Coliseum, whereas specifically designated Fan Zones will host smaller-scale neighborhood occasions and watch events all through the match. Those are free to enter; for mega-fans trying to splurge, On Location’s Platinum Access packages bundle match tickets with stays at luxurious motels together with Shutters on the Beach and the Four Seasons, plus perks like VIP immigration and customs processing at LAX’s personal terminal, PS.
Of course, a few of the greatest alternatives to expertise the world’s recreation can be unofficial and unplanned—from spontaneous pickup video games to late-night soccer anthem sing-alongs. In Toronto, certainly one of the most multicultural cities in the world, completely different ethnic neighborhoods “will come alive to celebrate almost every match,” says Kelly Jackson of Destination Toronto. “You combine that with all the international visitors, and it’s going to create a really special environment.”
This article appeared in the March 2026 challenge of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the journal here.