By: Colin Martin

If you’ve been following us on social media (@footytravelers), you may have noticed me rubbing shoulders with fellow entrepreneurs and pitching an exciting idea to a crowd of small business owners, start-up enthusiasts, and investors from Colorado. That’s because this past fall, I was participating in the Exponential Impact (XI) Accelerator program, hosted at Weidner Field, home of the USL Championship-winning Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

The program? Phenomenal! How can you say no to something that blends your goals and passions so perfectly into a single physical space? My pitch? Well, you can watch the full version on our YouTube channel. But if you’re just here for a quick glimpse of an amazing (dare I say ‘adventurous’?!) two-stage World Cup 2026 plan, designed for passionate footy travelers like you, then keep on reading. Whether you’re an FFT who’s been with us since the beginning (if you know, you know), or you’re just finding your way into our community, consider this your personal invitation to join the ultimate soccer-centric journey in the summer of 2026—you won’t want to miss it!

Where It All Began: The Spark Behind the Idea

The seeds of this bold idea have been planted, perhaps unwittingly at first, over the course of the last fourteen years, since our first World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Since then, we’ve immersed ourselves in the energy of World Cups, both men’s and women’s, across every livable continent outside of North America. Sometimes for the full tournament, sometimes just for the group stage. Either way, every trip has been a mix of thrilling matches, bucket-list travel, and new ways to experience global soccer culture.

Fast-forward to the summer of 2024, when the chaos of the US-hosted Copa America ticketing process gave us a clear warning of what could very well be a major challenge in 2026. Even IF tickets for World Cup 2026 aren’t sold by the major US event ticketing platforms (Ticketmaster, Seat Geek, etc.), and instead are sold through FIFA’s proprietary platform hosted on their own website, tickets will still be more expensive than in past World Cups (and in high demand). Take a look at the “Ticket Pricing Summary” on page 490 of the tournament’s official bid book for roughly what to expect.

*If you’re curious about the cheap Category 4 tickets listed in the Ticket Pricing Summary, check out this explainer about why you shouldn’t bet on getting access to those tickets.

Following the Copa ticketing chaos, conversations with fellow, highly-experienced footy travelers confirmed what we suspected: getting tickets to World Cup matches in North America could be a monumental challenge. But as the Footy Travelers do, we see an opportunity—a way to celebrate the World Cup for what it truly is: an international spectacle and a celebration of global cultures beyond just the 90+ minutes inside the stadiums.

Why This Trip?

You heard us. The best thing about the World Cup isn’t the soccer, because it isn’t just a tournament; it’s a celebration of humanity, culture, and connection. We’ve experienced this firsthand, both inside stadiums and out. From the electric atmospheres inside the stadiums to the passion of watching a game alongside locals in their home bar or pub, soccer’s energy has a magical way of transcending borders.

In 2026, if you’re going to be in the US, Canada, or Mexico, the possibilities to tap into this energy are (hopefully) going to be endless. But let’s be real. Unless the US, Canada & Mexico go deep into the tournament’s knockout stages, the surrounding energy has a good chance of dying off with their campaigns. Does that mean you can’t still experience the passion and energy of fans cheering on their teams toward the greatest trophy in all of sports? Of course not!

Take it from someone who’s planted themselves in a country, specifically to be among its people, during that country’s participation in a major soccer tournament’s knockout stages. Someone who’s intentionally traveled to places where soccer is woven into the fabric of life, just to watch a game being played thousands of miles away… among those people. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?!

The Plan: Two Stages of World Cup Magic

So here’s the plan…

Stage 1: The Group-Stage Party

The group stage is the tournament’s giant, international party. And in 2026, The Footy Travelers will be embarking on a three-leg group-stage trip that gives you the chance to experience the energy in all three host nations. Picture it: a match in Canada, one in the US, and one in Mexico, all within a week’s time. Not only will this be the perfect way to soak in the tournament’s magic and experience the unique flavors of each country’s fan culture, you won’t really need to dig too deep into that PTO (although you should, and extend your time off a bit if you’re having a good time!).

Slide deck image of the Footy Travelers' group-stage trip idea for World Cup 2026 — *Imagine a three-leg World Cup 2026 trip, attending a match in all 3 host nations*

Stage 2: Knockout-Stage Adventures

Again, take it from someone who’s been doing this for well over a decade. As the group stage ends, the energy shifts. Matches played per day are fewer, half the fans head home, and ticket prices skyrocket—which is why we’re taking a different approach than fighting the ticket resale opportunists this time around. For the knockout stage, we’ll follow the action to Europe, where advancing teams’ home countries will still be buzzing with excitement (UEFA is getting 16 teams in the new 48-team edition, 8 of the world’s current top 10 are from Europe (as of this post)—we’d bet at least a few European teams will be progressing).

This choose-your-own-adventure-style trip will let us chase the passion of the tournament across Europe, culminating in unforgettable memories. And if you’re wondering how we’re going to pull something like that off, first of all, my day job is actually in data analytics; I am all about data-driven decisions. Second, have I mentioned that we’ve been doing this for awhile? Plus, have you traveled on the train systems in Europe? They don’t know how good they have it over there!

Slide deck image of the Footy Travelers' knockout-stage trip idea for World Cup 2026 — *Now imagine a three-leg World Cup 2026 trip, during the knockout-stages… IN EUROPE!*

The most important thing about these trips that will allow us to travel flexibly between roughly the Round of 32 and the Quarterfinals (if the States actually DO make it to the semis, you better believe we’ll want to be back for that!), is that each one (you could do one, or both trips!) will have a limited number of spots, so you’ll want to act fast when it’s time to register.

How You Can Be Part of It

So, if you’re ready to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure and want to secure your spot, you’ll want to be ready when the registration process begins. Here’s how:

Sign up for the newsletter – Join the Footy Travelers Newsletter mailing list for exclusive updates, tips, and details about all our trips.
Subscribe to the podcast – You can listen to the Footy Travelers Podcast (FTP) wherever you get your podcasts. Apple. Spotify. YouTube. While you’re at us, leave us a rating and review… please!
Follow us on socials – Tap into some of— Nay! Tap into THE best footy travel content out there! Where we’re not the first to catch worldwide news or stories of interest, we’re always sharing information that’s helpful to FFTs that are tapped in. That’s @footytravelers on Instagram and X (but mostly Instagram).

The countdown to World Cup 2026 has begun, and so have our plans & preparations. We’re thrilled to have you join us on this incredible journey. Whether you’re ready to party in North America or follow the passion to Europe, this is your chance to explore the world through the lens of the beautiful game. Let’s make history together—take action today and be part of the adventure!

(Disclosure: We sometimes ideate, draft, and/or refine content with the aid of artificial intelligence tools, and revise it to reflect our own personalities & intended message.)