World Cup 2026: The Insider Guide for First-Timers

You've got the ticket. Or you're about to get one. Either way, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is happening, and if this is your first time attending the biggest sporting event on the planet, there's a lot nobody tells you upfront.

This is not just the biggest soccer event on the planet, it's a bona fide cultural phenomenon. 48 teams, 104 matches, 39 days, across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is enormous. And that scale is exactly why you need to plan smarter than you think. 

Here's everything you actually need to know before you go.

1. Sort Your Visa Before You Sort Anything Else

This one catches first-timers off guard every single time. You may need separate visas for the USA (ESTA or B1/B2), Canada (eTA or Visitor Visa), and Mexico, and immigration officers often ask to see proof of accommodation at the border. If you're crossing between host countries to follow your team, this matters a lot.

Apply early. Processing times vary by country and by how close we get to the tournament. Don't leave this for June.

Pro tip: Have your hotel booking confirmation saved on your phone and printed as backup. It's one of the first things border control asks for.

2. Book Your Accommodation Yesterday

Seriously. Hotel room prices in cities like Monterrey and Vancouver have already risen more than 150% compared to the same dates last year, and the tournament hasn't even started. The longer you wait, the worse it gets.

The smart move is to lock in something now, ideally with flexible cancellation — and adjust later if your plans change. CuddlyNest has hotels, apartments, and vacation rentals across all 16 host cities, with options at every price point. Search once, compare everything, and book the stay that actually makes sense for your trip.

And if you're paying in crypto? CuddlyNest has you covered, they're pioneering digital currency payments for accommodations worldwide, accepting USDT, USDC, BUSD, and DAI. Book your World Cup stay and pay the way you want to.

A few solid picks across host cities on CuddlyNest:

• New York/NJ: 50 Columbus, Hoboken

• Los Angeles: The Hollywood Roosevelt

• Dallas: The Bishop Arts Hotel

• Toronto: Hyatt Regency Toronto

• Mexico City: Condesa df, a Member of Design Hotels

• Vancouver: Indigo Vancouver

👉 Browse all World Cup host city stays on CuddlyNest

3. Pick Your Region — Don't Try to Do Everything

Most fans make the mistake of trying to see as many cities as possible. This is a continent-wide tournament, not a compact European rail trip. FIFA grouped the cities into three regions for a reason:

• Western: Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles

• Central: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City

• Eastern: Atlanta, Miami, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York/New Jersey

Cities within the same region are manageable, Seattle to Vancouver, Dallas to Houston, Boston to New York/New Jersey to Philadelphia are all drivable in under three hours. Pick a region, go deep, and enjoy it. Trying to hop coast to coast between matches is how you end up exhausted and overspent.

4. Arrive a Full Day Before Your Match

Arrive at least one full day before your first match. It gives you time to settle in, find your bearings, and build the anticipation properly. World Cup match days are full-day experiences, you're not just turning up at kickoff. You're navigating a city that has transformed overnight into a global party.

Find the fan zones. Eat the food. Talk to the strangers in the opposing team's kit. That's the World Cup. Give yourself time to actually live it.

5. Your Ticket is Digital — Guard It Like Your Passport

FIFA tickets are almost exclusively digital now via the mobile app. Always print backup copies, phones die, screens crack, and apps glitch. This is not the moment to find out your battery is at 2% outside a 70,000-seat stadium with no portable charger.

Download the FIFA app before you travel. Screenshot your tickets. Email them to yourself. Print them. Yes, all three.

6. Dress Smart — The Weather Is Not Uniform

This is a continent-wide tournament and the weather varies wildly. If you're heading to Dallas, Houston, Miami, or Atlanta, prepare for intense humidity and temperatures regularly exceeding 32°C (90°F). Cotton gets heavy with sweat and doesn't dry, moisture-wicking fabrics are the move.

Seattle and Vancouver in June/July are genuinely mild and pleasant. Pack for your specific city, not a generic "summer trip."

And shoes matter more than anything else on this list. You will easily clock 15,000+ steps on a match day. Leave the new sneakers at home.

7. Know the Stadium Bag Rules Before You Leave Your Hotel

Most 2026 World Cup stadiums follow strict bag policies, clear plastic bags up to 12" x 6" x 12", one-gallon resealable clear bags, and small clutch bags up to 4.5" x 6.5". That's it. No backpacks, no regular tote bags, no exceptions at the gate.

Check your specific stadium's rules the night before, pack accordingly, and you'll sail through security while everyone else is dumping their belongings in a bin outside.

8. Get a Local SIM or International Plan Before You Land

You're going to need maps, rideshare apps, your digital ticket, and the ability to message your group, all at the same time, in an unfamiliar city, surrounded by 60,000 people. This is not the moment to discover that roaming costs a fortune.

Sort your connectivity before you land. Pick up a local SIM or activate an international data plan ahead of arrival. Future-you will be very grateful.

9. Have a Meeting Point That Doesn't Need Signal

Groups get separated. It happens at every major event and the World Cup is no exception. Pick a physical meeting point before the match, a specific stadium gate, a nearby landmark, a bar you're all planning to end up at, and agree on it while you still have full signal and everyone is calm.

Do not rely on "I'll text you" as a plan. In a crowd of 80,000 people, texts take a while.

10. Budget for More Than Just the Ticket

The ticket is the beginning, not the total. Factor in transport to and from the stadium, food and drinks inside (stadium concessions at a World Cup are priced accordingly, and enthusiastically), fan zone experiences, city activities between matches, and the merch you will absolutely buy despite telling yourself you won't.

Your best bet to save on tickets is to go for group-stage matches between smaller nations, often less than half the price of the headliner games, and the fan atmospheres can be just as electric. Book smart accommodation through CuddlyNest and you'll have more in the budget for the things that actually make the memories.

One Last Thing

The 2026 World Cup happens once in a generation on North American soil. It's been 32 years since the World Cup was last here, it may be another 32 before it comes back. That's not a drill. That's history.

Do the prep. Book the stay. Show up ready. The rest, the goals, the noise, the strangers you'll hug in the 90th minute, takes care of itself.

Find your World Cup 2026 accommodation on CuddlyNest →