Which Fans Will Pay the Most to Watch Their Team in the World Cup?

Photo courtesy of FIFA

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, and dozens of sites across North America are going to be the focus of diehard fans looking to take in the best football on the planet. With the U.S. as the host nation, expectations for the home team are higher than ever.

As the World Cup has gotten bigger and bigger, so too has the cost of tickets. This year’s event looks to break the record for costs across the board, putting fans in a bit of a financial bind as they attempt to follow their team across the multi-week, multi-stage event.

Recently, Doc’s Sports Service, an online odds-making site, completed a study to determine which fans would have to pay the most to support their team during the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (the first three matches for each country's team) - the cost for tickets, hotel stays, and travel were all factored into the rankings.

Coming in at number one, which is no real shock, was the United States at a total cost of $3,117. Fans of the three host nations – the United States, Canada, and Mexico – had an average cost of $2,875, with Canadian fans paying $2,947, while fans of Mexico faced costs of $2,462.

Of the international teams, South African fans pay the most at $2,480, while fans of South Korea would face the lowest costs at $1,341.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11 with a match between Mexico and South Africa at historic Mexico City Stadium (nee Estadio Azteca). The World Cup Finals are set for June 19.

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Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477.