If you’re chasing one of the best seats in the house for the FIFA World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on 19 July, be prepared to pay an eye-watering US$32,970.
Throw in a business class air fare, a couple of nights at a top hotel, not forgetting hot dogs and popcorn during the game, and you can expect to be splurging enough cash to fund a small nation for a month.
Even though demand for tickets to games in some cities across the US, has softened, and prices have drifted south, the most expensive group stage ticket belongs to Colombia vs. Portugal at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami with a hefty price tag of US$3,212.
Even US president Donald Trump has been quoted as saying he wouldn’t pay four figures for a World Cup match.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended these prices by insisting, “We have to look at the market – we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world.”
Not everyone is convinced. A report from the American Hotel and Lodging Association has found that accommodation bookings are well below expectations in almost every host city.
For those soccer fans in Asia who are not travelling to the US, there will be unrivalled coverage of games thanks to live transmissions on cruise ships, in hotels and bars, in hawker food centres and in the air.
Match screenings, parties at the main pool, alongside interactive game shows prepared for Genting Dream sailings. Photo Credit: CruiseBeyond SG
At sea: sail away to action
Genting Dream under Dream Cruises, as well as Star Voyager and Star Navigator under StarCruises will be showing World Cup matches onboard.
Genting Dream, as part of Dream Cruises' 10th Anniversary celebrations, has collaborated with sportswear firm Adidas to curate a series of themed onboard experiences from June to August, which include the adidas FIFA World Cup Zones featuring exclusive merchandise.
There will be more action at a World Cup Kick-Off Sail Away Party at the main pool, alongside interactive game shows such as quizzes and skill challenges, and mini football tournaments.
Princess Cruises will broadcast all World Cup matches across its entire fleet. That includes in-stateroom live coverage of all 104 games, as well as showing select marquee matches on big screens on Lido Decks. It will also hold viewing parties where guests are encouraged to show up in team shirts.
Lorna Warren, Princess Cruises vice president of hotel operations and guest experiences, said, “Our guests shouldn’t have to choose between exploring the world and watching the world’s best teams compete.”
Royal Caribbean International, which named Lionel Messi as godfather of Icon of the Seas, will show all games in staterooms and selected matches in larger venues across the fleet.
Other cruise lines broadcasting game fleet wide include Holland America, MSC, Cunard, Seaborne, Virgin Voyages and P&O.
In the air: you won’t miss a match
Sport 24, the official broadcaster of the World Cup, is available on more than 610 aircraft worldwide. Partner airlines include Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
Emirates carries Sport 24 on all Boeing 777 aircraft and selected Airbus A380s. The channel is included as part of the standard seatback entertainment system. Games will also be broadcast onboard in A380 lounges and Emirates airport lounges.
Qatar Airways, the official international airline partner for the FIFA World Cup, offers coverage on aircraft equipped with Starlink connectivity. On these flights, passengers can stream Sport 24 in high definition directly to personal devices.
Singapore Airlines is primed for action, hosting viewings across select Boeing 787-10, A350-900, and 777-300ER aircraft.
Large screens at Singapore’s hawker icon, Lau Pa Sat Photo Credit: Lau Pa Sat
On the ground: Big Macs and hawker food
Millennium Hotels in Singapore is urging fans to book rooms in the CBD rather than watch the late night or early morning soccer matches at home, where they might disturb the neighbours while yelling support for favourite teams.
Singapore’s Sports Hub in Kallang will use the OCBC Square – a large outdoor space just beside the Kallang Wave Mall – as the main site for its Festival of Football from 14 June to 30 July. Themed seating areas and a giant 66-sqm LED screen will beam most group stage matches, and every knockout match, including the grand final.
Along with 22 McDonald's restaurants showing "live" matches in Singapore, fans can watch weeks of non-stop World Cup action as Lau Pa Sat hawker centre transforms into a viewing hub from 12 June to 20 July. Every match will be shown on two large screens.
In Bangkok, the city’s sports bars will be the focus for late night action, while Swedish-managed Rembrandt Hotel is inviting fans of the Nordic teams to show their support during showings of matches involving Iceland, Denmark and Sweden.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off on 11 June between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City. The tournament will take place over six weeks in 16 different cities in three countries (Mexico, US and Canada).