Watching a 2026 World Cup match live will cost a lot of money In terms of travel, tickets and visas (granted or not)
One thing everyone agrees about the 2026 World Cup is that it will be extremely expensive for fans. First of all, tickets will be the most expensive ever, due to FIFA’s decision to adopt a dynamic pricing system. But that’s not all: FIFA has also decided to set up paid Fan Zones where matches will be broadcast on giant screens. Then there are the jerseys, all of them beautiful but their retail prices have increased compared to 2022. And to this long list, you obviously have to add the costs of traveling to the United States, the main host of the 2026 World Cup organized together with Canada and Mexico, as well as the expenses required to obtain a visa, assuming it is granted and not rejected.
Which Fans Will Spend the Most
According to a study conducted by GIGAcalculator, fans of European national teams will spend the least on average. For example, a German fan traveling to Houston, Toronto, or New York for a group-stage match would spend an average of £527 per game, of which £491 is for a roughly 9-hour flight. An English fan spends about £642 per match on average, while French fans spend around £546.
The fans expected to face the highest costs, according to GIGAcalculator’s estimates, are those from the Ivory Coast. Considering that matches will take place in Philadelphia and Toronto, fans will need both a U.S. visa (£345) and a Canadian visa (£105), resulting in a total visa cost of £450, the highest among all countries analyzed. To this must be added the average round-trip flight cost of £1,278, bringing the total expense for a fan attending all three group-stage matches to £1,728.
Total Cost Breakdown for Fans
In its research, GIGAcalculator also considered additional factors to rank which fans around the world will face the most exhausting journeys to watch a live match at the 2026 World Cup. Specifically, these factors include airfare costs, flight duration, visa costs, and the difficulty of obtaining a visa. Combining these elements, South Africa ranks first: fans face an average round-trip flight cost of £1,201 per match, with an average flight duration of 19.3 hours, and £389 for a visa, for a total of £1,590 and a travel difficulty score of 9.53 out of 10.
Considering flight durations, after South Africa at the top, the countries with the longest travel times are: South Korea (16.8 hours), Qatar and Australia (both 16.5 hours), Iran (16.3 hours), Uzbekistan (15.8 hours), Egypt (15.3 hours), Japan (15 hours), and Saudi Arabia (14.7 hours). In terms of average spending, Argentina (£1,223) and Iran (£1,211) follow the Ivory Coast, which holds the top position. As for visas, here is the list of countries that, according to GIGAcalculator, will face the greatest difficulties in obtaining them: South Africa, Uzbekistan, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, Senegal, and Ecuador. Finally, fans from Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, and Senegal will bear the highest visa costs, amounting to £450.
