Cup

As millions of fans scramble to secure tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup through lottery systems and ever-changing price structures, a handful of privileged travelers live a reality that is radically different. For these ultra-wealthy wanderers, attending football’s grandest event isn’t just about a single match: it’s a tailor-made experience blending luxury hotels, private aviation, and exclusive access. Trips that can run into hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars are already booked. A spectacular showcase of the widening gap surrounding the world’s major international sporting events.

Trips worth several hundred thousand dollars around the matches

For the wealthiest clients of luxury-focused agencies, the World Cup is often merely a pretext for a much broader journey. Football matches are woven into itineraries that combine sightseeing, high-end stays, and personalized experiences.

Jack Ezon, founder of Embark Beyond, explains in the Washington Post that the most requested itinerary is to chain several host cities of the tournament. “The most common is what I call the ‘triple threat’: go to Mexico for the opening, to Vancouver for the knockout stages, and finally to the July 19 final in New York,” he said.

According to Nicole Janoff, head of the leisure division at Magma Global, some clients dedicate between $250,000 and $500,000 (roughly €217,000 to €433,000) to their trip when traveling with family. The matches then become “the centerpiece, but not the sole reason for the journey”, she explained.

Hotels are also riding this wave of interest. In Miami, the St. Regis Bal Harbour offers a package priced at $187,000 (about €162,000) that includes two presidential suites, a private driver, massages, yacht excursions, and streamlined access to a World Cup match. By comparison, even without this exceptional offer, nightly rates start at $3,500 (roughly €3,000) for a premium room.

A British client of Scott Dunn has planned a 22-day United States trip around a match played in Dallas. Private tours, whale watching, national parks with dedicated guides, luxury ranches, and premium accommodations are on the agenda. The cost of hotels and excursions, excluding transport, already reaches about $130,000 (around €113,000).

Helicopters, private security and multi-million-dollar tickets

Beyond lodging, the ultra-wealthy primarily seek to avoid the constraints faced by other fans. Overcrowded airports, traffic jams, and long lines are among the inconveniences they prefer to sidestep. Jackie DeAntonis, head of private relations at Scott Dunn, sums up this philosophy: “They know that at their level, they can obtain the most prestigious tickets, a private helicopter transfer, and all-access VIP passes.”

Private-aviation firms anticipate a strong uptick in demand as well. Paul Malicki, CEO of Flapper, estimates activity could be tenfold around the final. At Amalfi Jets, a long-haul private flight between Europe and the United States costs on average $165,000 (about €143,000).

Once on the ground, some clients continue their pursuit of comfort with chauffeurs available around the clock. Others opt directly for helicopter transfers to dodge stadium-area traffic. In Boston, the Raffles hotel, for example, is marketing a package at $75,000 (about €65,000) that includes a private aerial transfer to Gillette Stadium.

Yet it is around the final, scheduled to take place in New Jersey on July 19, 2026, that spending reaches its zenith. Stuart McNeill, founder of Knightsbridge Circle, markets a package that includes front-row midfield seats and access to the trophy ceremony. The price listed for six people is $4 million (about €3.5 million).

Another extravagant example, the Mark hotel in Manhattan offers a package that lives up to its name, dubbed the “World Cup Extravaganza.” It includes four nights in a penthouse, additional rooms for staff, premium seats on the sideline for the final, and helicopter transfers. The bill comes to $1 million (about €867,000).

For some clients, football isn’t the sole motivation. As Erica Jackowitz, cofounder of Roman & Erica, notes, attending the World Cup has become “a true symbol of social status.” A trend that is gradually turning the world’s most-followed sporting event into a showcase of extreme luxury.