If you are a frequent traveler and a sports fan, there is arguably no better place to be in the latter half of the 2020s than the United States. As luck – or political maneuvering – would have it, the US will host both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics, making it the place to be for global sports in the coming years. Of course, there are also the annual ‘national’ events, such as the Super Bowl.
Tickets for these blue-chip sports events can be hard to come by, and, of course, it often takes a lot of planning and saving, especially if you want to make the top events, like the World Cup Final or Super Bowl. But we wanted to take a look at some of the cities and venues hosting these spectacular events in the coming years, parsing out if it is worth your while making the journey.
Super Bowl LX – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Levi’s Stadium is the home of the San Francisco 49ers, although saying Levi’s Stadium is in San Francisco is a bit misleading, as there are about 44 miles between the sports venue and downtown San Francisco. Nevertheless, the state-of-the-art stadium will host the greatest show on earth in February. According to DraftKings’ latest football odds, the LA Rams are the betting favorites to be there, but it’s been a fairly open season in the NFL thus far, so anyone could be in it. Regardless of who makes it, you will be hard-pressed to get Super Bowl tickets under $1000. There is, however, plenty to do in the area, and you can experience the carnival atmosphere that complements the Super Bowl each year.
FIFA World Cup Final – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
With all due respect to the Super Bowl, the FIFA World Cup Final is the biggest sporting event with respect to global attention. The World Cup itself will be held across Mexico, Canada and the United States, with the latter getting the lion’s share of the games, including the Final on July 19th. There are loads of opportunities for road-trips and World Cup-related vacations, especially if you are following a particular team. All roads lead to New Jersey, though, and if you are lucky enough to get tickets for the Final, it would be a brilliant opportunity to use a stay in NYC, as the MetLife Stadium is less than 30 minutes away by car. Once again, though, the cost of the tickets has become a bone of contention. Oh, as an aside, World Cup games will also be held in Levi’s Stadium.
Super Bowl LXI – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
We are doing this list chronologically, so let’s shine a light on the venue for Super Bowl LXI, which will be held in February 2027. Like Levi’s Stadium and the 49ers, SoFi Stadium is home to a couple of LA teams (Rams and Chargers) despite not technically being in LA. There are some nice beaches in the area, although Inglewood has a few issues with crime. That said, Inglewood does have a healthy tourist ecosystem built up to support the two NFL teams that play there, so there is a great network of hotels, bars and other amenities to suit sports fans.
2028 Los Angeles Olympics – SoFi Stadium, LA Memorial Coliseum, CA
The Olympics are obviously spread across different venues, but we love that the organizers have chosen both the ultra-modern SoFi Stadium and the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as the main stadiums. The latter will become the first venue to host three separate Olympic events (1932, 1984, 2028). It is more than possible to ‘do’ the Olympics on a budget, and there isn’t the same kind of pressure on tickets, although you might have to settle for synchronized swimming ahead of the 100m Final or Closing Ceremony if you want to keep costs down. The key is booking early before hotels and Airbnb start raising prices. But the event is much more spread out than the Super Bowl or World Cup Final, so there is much less pressure on accommodation.
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