With this summer’s major international soccer tournament on full display across North America, Expedia’s Ultimate Fan Travel Outlook reveals fans are adjusting their plans — booking later, exploring alternative destinations, and prioritizing flexibility to make the trip work.

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), fueled 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 $215³, while overall hotel prices trending down 10% in the past two weeks. Budget-savvy travelers are also increasingly opting for nearby “alt destinations” like Worcester, MA, Hamilton, ON and Richmond, BC, where they can save $100 or more per night while staying within easy reach of the action.

The data also 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, VP of Expedia Group brands public relations. “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 soccer tournament ever in person is still very much there, but people are getting crafty about how to make it happen.”

Last Minute Trends: Top Soccer Cities and Best Affordability 4

Expedia reveals the latest last-minute insights on the surging travel demand, as fans plan their North American trips:

• Average ticket prices for flights for Americans are up over 30%⁴ on average to the 16 host cities. Dallas and Vancouver are the most expensive, both up 45%, with Toronto the most affordable option, up only 15%.
• Los Angeles is proving the most popular host city for stays and flights, likely driven by high demand from US fans, with Team USA games taking place in the city.
• Monterrey and Kansas City are the two host cities trending highest globally for stays, with lodging searches up 80%² and 70%² respectively. For US fans specifically, Kansas City is the clear top trending destination, with flight searches up 70%⁵ and lodging up 60%⁵, likely driven by it being a key basecamp location for the top teams.
• Canadian cities offer the biggest opportunity for traveling fans, with searches for both flights and lodging down this past month. Toronto is also proving more affordable than many other major city hosts at $278³ ADR.

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 biggest decreases (-15%³).

Most Affordable Host Cities – based on average daily rates from the last two weeks

1. Mexico City – $187
2. Guadalajara – $195
3. New Jersey – $214
4. Atlanta – $219
5. Houston – $222
6. Dallas – $246
7. San Francisco – $255
8. Monterrey – $277
9. Toronto – $278
10. Los Angeles – $282
11. Philadelphia – $292
12. Miami – $297
13. Kansas City – $314
14. Seattle – $333
15. Boston – $381
16. Vancouver – $428

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

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

• Richmond, near Vancouver – ADR is $187 – save $241
• Worcester, near Boston – ADR is $255 – save $126
• Hamilton, near Toronto – ADR is $174 – save $104
• Tacoma, near Seattle – ADR is $248 – save $85
• Orange County, near Los Angeles – ADR is $235 – save $47
• Fort Lauderdale, near Miami – ADR $265 – save $32
• Oakland, near San Francisco – ADR is $224 – save $31
• Wilmington, near Philadelphia – ADR is $265 – save $27

Hardcore Fans Heading to North America 

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

Colombia, England and Scotland appeared to have been the keenest fans post draw, with searches up on average 300%⁶ by those nations, but it is now Brazil, Argentina and Spain driving the travel searches, as kick off closes in. Brazilian fans are proving the most dedicated of them all, with searches up 580%⁶.

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 Ranking – Biggest search increases by nation for travel to NORAM

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 $35⁸ per day, including taxes and fees.
• Stay in a Vacation Rental⁹: Along with hotels, also consider vacation rentals as a great 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 soccer spectacle on Expedia.