As excitement builds for the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, a new study suggests that following a national team from the group stage to the finals could cost fans tens of thousands of dollars.
According to research conducted by AceOdds.com, the average cost for two people to attend every match of their country’s World Cup journey all the way to the final match is estimated at around $61,000. The estimate includes flights, hotel stays, match tickets, food, and drinks throughout the tournament.
The study analyzed more than 120,000 accommodation listings and over 52,000 flight routes to calculate the expected costs for supporters of all 48 nations expected to compete in the expanded 2026 tournament.
Tickets emerged as the biggest expense by far. On average, two fans would spend nearly $30,000 on match tickets alone, accounting for almost half of the total trip budget. Researchers noted that ticket prices were sourced from a secondary marketplace using the lowest available prices at the time of analysis.
The FIFA World Cup Final itself could become one of the most expensive sporting events in the world for traveling fans. According to the report, two tickets to the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, are estimated to cost around $15,300, which is more than the combined ticket cost for all three group-stage matches for most nations.
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Accommodation was found to be the second largest expense category after tickets, averaging roughly $14,700 for two people across the tournament. Flights accounted for about $11,900 on average, while food and drinks represented the smallest share at around $5,100.
The report highlighted major differences between nations depending largely on travel distance and flight prices.
Fans from Iraq face the most expensive World Cup journey among all participating nations. The total estimated cost for two Iraqi supporters to follow their team through every round is approximately $73,000. Researchers found that flight costs alone could exceed $23,700 because of long-haul travel requirements between multiple host cities.
Supporters from Jordan and Argentina were also among the most affected by travel costs, with estimated tournament expenses reaching around $70,000 and $68,000 respectively.
At the other end of the scale, Panama was identified as the cheapest nation to follow during the tournament. Fans from Panama are expected to spend around $55,000 for two people, helped by shorter travel distances and relatively lower accommodation expenses.
Czech Republic and Mexico were ranked among the next most affordable nations to support, with estimated costs of roughly $56,000 and $58,000 respectively.
Researchers noted that the nearly $18,000 gap between the most expensive and least expensive fan journeys is driven almost entirely by airfare rather than hotel or ticket prices.
For fans from major soccer nations, the costs remain substantial.
Supporters from France would reportedly spend about $60,000 for two people to attend every match if France reaches the Final. That estimate includes $30,500 for tickets, $13,600 for accommodation, $10,300 for flights from Paris and between host cities, and another $4,900 for food and drinks.
Fans from Germany are projected to spend around $61,000 in total. The report estimates approximately $30,800 would go toward tickets, while accommodation and flights would add another $25,000 combined.
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For Brazil supporters, the total estimated expense rises to nearly $63,000 for two people. Ticket prices alone could reach roughly $31,000 if Brazil advances to the Final.
Supporters from Spain are expected to spend about $60,000, while Portugal fans could pay closer to $63,500 due to longer travel between host cities such as Houston, Miami, and Vancouver.
Fans from England would need an estimated $56,000 for the full tournament experience. That includes more than $30,000 for tickets and about $12,000 for accommodation across cities including Atlanta, Mexico City, and Miami.
Meanwhile, supporters of the United States national team could spend around $63,000 for two people if the U.S. reaches the Final. The study estimates that American fans would spend about $34,000 on tickets, $16,100 on hotels, $6,700 on flights between host cities, and $6,200 on food and drinks.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With matches spread across North America, travel logistics are expected to play a major role in shaping the fan experience.
AceOdds said its calculations were based on average hotel prices from Airbnb and Booking.com, economy-class flight fares from Google Flights, ticket listings from Livefootballtickets.com, and daily food costs sourced from Numbeo.