New Jersey leads global flight demand (+40%¹) while Kansas City emerges as the top trending U.S. stay (+70%²)

Brazilian fans are leading the last-minute surge, with travel searches from Brazil skyrocketing +580% ahead of kick-off. England and Scotland fan interest softens (+20%)

Boston still trending for England and Scotland fans, with lodging searches up 325%⁵

Cost-savvy fans turn to nearby “alt destinations” saving £75+ per night, as Mexico and secondary cities deliver the best last-minute value

England rank tenth in Hardcore Fans ranking, ahead of Germany. Brazil fans lead the last-minute surge, with travel searches from Brazilians skyrocketing +580% ahead of kick-off

With just one week until this summer’s major international football tournament kicks off across North America, Expedia’s Ultimate Fan Travel Outlook reveals fans are adapting their plans by booking later, exploring alternative destinations, and embracing greater flexibility to keep costs down.

Despite rising flight prices, global fans are still planning trips in record numbers, with international search demand continuing to climb in the final stretch. New data shows momentum for US host cities, including New Jersey, which has seen the largest spike in global flight searches (+40%¹), and Kansas City, now the fastest-rising destination for stays (+70%²), fuelled in part by major team basecamps and growing U.S. fan interest.

At the same time, affordability is shaping where and how fans travel. Several host cities — including Mexico City, Guadalajara and New Jersey — are offering average daily hotel rates under £160³, while overall hotel prices trending down 10% in the past two weeks. Budget-savvy travellers are increasingly opting for nearby “alt destinations” like Worcester, MA, Hamilton, ON and Richmond, BC, where they can save £75 or more per night while staying within easy reach of the action.

Expedia’s data highlights a surge in long-haul fandom, led by Brazil and Argentina, where travel searches have skyrocketed by more than 500%, underscoring the global draw of the tournament — and the growing willingness of fans to travel farther, even at the last minute.

 “Demand isn’t slowing, it’s shifting,” said Melanie Fish, Expedia’s travel expert and spokesperson. “Fans are adjusting to higher prices by booking later, exploring alternative cities, and finding smarter ways to make the trip work. The desire to experience the biggest football tournament ever in person is still very much there, but people are getting crafty about how to make it happen.”

Last Minute Trends: Top Football Cities and Best Affordability

With just one week to go until the summer of football kicks off, Expedia reveals the latest last-minute insights on the surging travel demand, as fans plan their North American trips: 

• For England and Scotland fans specifically, Boston is the clear top trending destination, with flight searches up 45%⁵ and accommodation searches up 325%⁵, likely driven by it being the city both teams have fixtures in.
• Average ticket prices for flights for England and Scotland fans are up over 50%⁴ on average to the 16 host cities. Philadelphia and Kansas City are the most expensive, both up 120%, with Seattle the most affordable option, up only 5%.
• Globally, Los Angeles is the most popular host city for both stays and flights, likely driven by strong domestic demand and Team USA fixtures.
• Monterrey and Kansas City are the two host cities trending highest globally for stays, with lodging searches up 80%² and 70%² respectively.
• Canadian cities offer the biggest opportunity for value-conscious fans, with searches for both flights and lodging down this past month. Toronto also remains comparatively affordable at £210³ Average Daily Rate (ADR).

Most Popular Host Cities for Stays2 (Global) Highest Volume of Searches Los Angeles Miami Toronto Boston Vancouver Seattle San Francisco Atlanta Dallas Houston Mexico City Philadelphia Kansas City New Jersey Monterrey Guadalajara

Host Cities Trending Upwards for Stays2 (Global) Biggest YoY Search Increases Monterrey +80% Kansas City +70% Guadalajara +25% Mexico City +20% New Jersey +20% San Francisco +20% Dallas +20% Philadelphia +20% Atlanta +15% Houston +5% Los Angeles +5% Seattle +5% Boston 0% Vancouver 0% Miami -10% Toronto -15%

Most Popular Host Cities for Flights1 (Global) Los Angeles Miami Atlanta Toronto Boston Houston Seattle New Jersey (Newark) Dallas San Francisco Philadelphia Mexico City Vancouver Guadalajara Kansas City Monterrey

Host Cities Trending Upwards for Flights1 (Global) New Jersey +40% Atlanta +25% Miami +15% Boston +15% Houston +15% San Francisco +15% Guadalajara +15% Kansas City +15% Monterrey +15% Los Angeles +10% Dallas +10% Seattle +10% Mexico City +10% Philadelphia +5% Vancouver -5% Toronto -10%

Last minute affordability

As worldwide fans ramp up their last-minute planning, Expedia’s Fan Travel Outlook reveals positive news for affordability. Average daily rates for stays in host cities are down on average 10%³ over the last two weeks. Dallas, Miami, Vancouver, Atlanta and Monterrey have seen the sharpest decreases (-15%³).

Most Affordable Host Cities³ – based on average daily rates (ADR) from the last two weeks

1. Mexico City – £139
2. Guadalajara – £145
3. New Jersey – £159
4. Atlanta – £162
5. Houston – £165
6. Dallas – £183
7. San Francisco – £189
8. Monterrey – £205
9. Toronto – £206
10. Los Angeles – £210
11. Philadelphia – £217
12. Miami – £221
13. Kansas City – £233
14. Seattle – £248
15. Boston – £283
16. Vancouver – £318

Alt Destinations³ – where to stay within an hour of a host city

Expedia’s top tip for those fans looking to stretch their budget is to consider smaller towns or suburbs around the host cities.

• Richmond, near Vancouver – ADR is £139 – save £179
• Worcester, near Boston – ADR is £190 – save £94
• Hamilton, near Toronto – ADR is £130 – save £77
• Tacoma, near Seattle – ADR is £184 – save £63
• Orange County, near Los Angeles – ADR is £175 – save £35
• Fort Lauderdale, near Miami – ADR £197 – save £24
• Oakland, near San Francisco – ADR is £166 – save £23
• Wilmington, near Philadelphia – ADR is £197 – save £20

Hardcore Fans Heading to North America⁶  

There are 48 nations taking part in summer’s major football event and Expedia has seen last minute travel searches skyrocket, particularly by South American fans.

England, Scotland and Colombia appeared to have been the keenest fans post draw, with searches up on average 300%⁶ by those nations, though England and Scotland have since slipped to 10^th place in Expedia’s ‘Hardcore Fan Ranking’. Now, Brazil leads the ranking with a standout 580%⁶ surge in travel searches, followed by Argentina and Spain.

Local support across the host countries is still up year-on-year, but softening as kick off closes in. All three countries saw lodging increases of +75%⁶ in the month following the draw and now searches by Americans in the last month are +30%, +20%⁶ for Canadians and +15%⁶ for Mexicans.

Hardcore Fan Ranking⁶ – Biggest search increases by nation for travel to the USA, Canada and Mexico 

1. Brazil +580%
2. Argentina +190%
3. Spain +140%
4. Colombian+125%
5. Portugal +95%
6. France +55%
7. Japan +40%
8. Australia +30%
9. USA +30%
10. England & Scotland +20%
11. Canada +20%
12. Mexico +15%
13. Netherlands 0%
14. Germany 0%
15. South Korea 0%

Expedia’s Top Travel Tips for Fans  

• Consider multi-city flight tickets: If following a team to multiple cities, sometimes flying into one city and returning out of another can prove cheaper than buying separate one-ways.  Check out the multi-city flights booking function on Expedia. 
• Fly into an alternative airport: Fans will be looking for flights and accommodation in the cities their teams will play. To make your budget stretch further, consider flying into a city that is a couple of hours away, and travel to the game from there. For example, fly into Burbank or San Diego instead of Los Angeles. 
• Bundle⁷ and save more on packages: Flights, hotels, car hire and activities – all in one place. Book them together on Expedia to save hundreds on average. Bonus: your full itinerary is stored in one place. 
• Road Trip Pairings: If taking in multiple games, consider renting a car to drive between the host cities, some are closer than you think. New York to Philadelphia is less than two hours, Houston to Dallas is less than four hours. Car rental is available on Expedia from £26⁸ per day, including taxes and fees. 
• Stay in a holiday home⁹: Along with hotels, also consider a holiday home as an alternative. There may be better availability in suburbs or rural areas outside of cities.  
• Come for soccer, stay for experiences: Make the most of your visit to North America and check out local experiences, such as food tastings in Toronto, museums in Mexico City and historical excursions in Boston. All bookable on Expedia. 
   

Book your travel for summer’s football spectacle on Expedia. 

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Notes to Editor  

¹ Based on flight searches made on Expedia global from 11 – 24 May 2026 compared to the same dates in 2025. For travel between 11 June – 19 July 2026 to New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, Kansas City, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, Monterrey, Mexico City & Guadalajara.
  
²  Based on lodging searches made on Expedia global from 11 – 24 May 2026 compared to the same dates in 2025. For travel between 11 June – 19 July 2026 to New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, Kansas City, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, Monterrey, Mexico City & Guadalajara. 

³ Based on Average Daily Rates on Expedia global for search period 11 – 24 May 2026, for stays from 11 June – 19 July 2026. Compared to the same dates in 2025.

⁴ Based on Average Ticket Prices for flights on Expedia.co.uk for search period 11 – 24 May 2026, for flights from 11 June – 19 July 2026. Compared to the same dates in 2025.

⁵ Based on flight and lodging searches made on Expedia.co.uk to Kansas City from 11 – 24 May 2026 compared to the same dates in 2025. For travel between 11 June – 19 July 2026.

⁶ Based on lodging searches made on Expedia global POSa from 1 – 31 May 2026 compared to 1 – 31 May 2025, for stays between 11 June – 19 July 2026, compared to stays 11 June – 19 July 2025. 

⁷ Savings vary and are not available on all packages. Savings are compared to the price of the same components booked separately. 

⁸ Car rental example price based on hire from JFK airport in New York from 12 – 19 June 2026. Price correct as of 9 December 2025 but are subject to change.    

⁹ Holiday home prices are correct as of 9 December 2025 but are subject to change.