World Cup 2026 was surely one marked by incredible matches like Cabo Verde v Argentina in the Round of 32. Netherlands v Morocco in the same stage. And who can forget that 10-goal thriller in the Third Place Final?! It will forever be marked by incredible performances from the usual suspects like Mbappe, Haaland, and Messi, but also equally incredible performances from breakout stars like Vozinha and Djed Spence. And sure, Tim Payne too.

It was also one marked by less inspiring things. Complaints about refereeing advantages enjoyed by (V)Argentina. A dubiously awarded suspension lift. And generally speaking, American entertainment culture’s overall influence on the tournament: a halftime show during the Final, hydration breaks (sponsored by Powerade) given commercial time in the broadcast, and constant, endless reminders of which celebrities and “global superstars” were in attendance (even the ones no one really seemed to know who they were).

Now that the tournament has passed and Spain has left England behind as the only World Cup-winning country to have won it at least once, and only once (a fact that surely will not deter their fans from believing the next one is “coming home”), the most uninspiring detail of World Cup 2026’s legacy, beyond FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s bizarre 15-slide, “f**k you all” Instagram rant, may be his attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to external investors… via associates of Donald Trump! (that’s a highly simplified summary, so be sure to read more in-depth coverage on it from recommended outlets like The Athletic, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, or the BBC)

Which looking back, actually helps explain those incessant camera pans to the celebrities and superstars at games. At least to me. This heavy sell on the popularity and notoriety of the World Cup was never intended for actual football fans. Real fans who follow and love the game—the actual game—don’t give a shit. He was selling the World Cup to investors! 

Even if his plan doesn’t go through and stakes in the World Cup don't get sold off, it’s likely the tournament will never be the same again (for example, there’s already discussion about expanding the field of competition again, this time up to 64 teams). But you know what? That’s ok. Because we found a better (i.e. more genuine, and genuinely less expensive) way to experience the World Cup: Chasing the World Cup Spirit!

This summer, The Footy Travelers co-founders set off on a European and West African adventure to watch World Cup games and experience the tournament from the countries playing in its most consequential matches (the knockout stage). It’s something we had talked about forever (at least since our first World Cup in 2010).

In case you missed it, here’s what it looked like…

They insist that England is the “Home of Football.” And to be fair, they have a pretty good reputation for throwing a great World Cup party, so started the adventure in London, attending a quintessential Boxpark watch party. Beer showers included.

Venue: Boxpark Camden

Cost: £33/pp

Match vibes: 8/10 (perhaps not as popular as its flagship Shoreditch location, and we could have done without the drenching beer showers, but the crowd was mad and that made us happy)

Result: England 2 : 0 Panama

Everyone knows footy culture is big in German cities like Munich, Dortmund, and Berlin. And rightfully so. But where else can you find the country’s Sport & Olympia Museum, visit a living club mascot at the city’s zoo, and go all in on kolsch culture?

Venue: 1st half - Brauhaus FRÜH am Dom  | 2nd half - Heumarkt

Cost: €36/pp (a bratwurst & kölsch dinner)

Match vibes: 7/10 (Köln’s Altstadt comes alive during the day and weekends, but a 10:30p kickoff on a school night may have kept people closer to home. The anxiety and energy during the PK shootout, though, was palpable!)

Result: Germany (3) 1 : 1 (4) Paraguay (Paraguay wins on PKs)

We were told ahead of this trip that French fans (at least outside of those in/from Paris) leave a little to be desired when it comes to passion and expression. For most of the night, we understood why. Then the fans in Lille did a drastic 180 and showed us the most active and aggressive passion we saw across our 16 day experience.

Venue: Various cafes and bars outlining Place du Général de Gaulle (aka La Grand’Place)

Cost: €11/pp (a glass of rosé)

Match vibes: 5/10 … then 11/10 (Like we said, the French watched their squad handle Sweden rather politely. After the game, the fireworks, flares, and flashbangs came out in full force!)

Result: France 3 : 0 Sweden

Even before joining thousands of Portuguese fans in Praça do Comércio for the matchup of of outgoing legends (Cristiano v Modric), enjoying a laid back al fresco dinner highlighted by Lulas Recheadas and vinho verde while watching the Belgium v Senegal match is exactly the type of World Cup experience footy traveling gives you. The next night, it was more of the same, with an authentic fado dinner ahead of the Portugal vs Croatia game.

Venue: Lisboa Football Arena (mega-screen watch party in Praça do Comércio)

Cost: €15/pp (2 Sagres cervejas)

Match vibes: 9/10 (Everything we imagined the plazas of Europe would be, minus the fact that those in the inner area were asked to sit)

Result: Portugal 2 : 1 Croatia

The only thing better than watching Cabo Verde equalize with Argentina from inside “Miami Stadium” not once, but twice, is doing it from inside the borders of the 10-island nation that put itself forever on the map of football in World Cup 2026. Another plaza watch party experience with flags, drums, and post-match parade to show their pride in their national team. Top it off with a couple beach days, warm tropical water, cool ocean breezes, and plenty of fresh tuna, and Portugal immediately has its most serious competitor for footy travel destination of the year.

Venue: Praça Manuel António Martins

Cost: Several €/pp (an undisclosed number of drinks…?)

Match vibes: 11/10 (If celebrating a once-in-a-lifetime run into a World Cup knockout stage, in the country that made it, with the people of that country doesn’t get you going, footy travel may not be for you)

Result: Cabo Verde 2 : 3 Argentina (AET)

Back to Europe to finish out the chase, we landed in Brussels, where we were told we’d have the best odds of finding a place showing a 2am kickoff for USA v Belgium. Not only did we find a place, but a dense crowd of Belgians who were perfectly fine letting us know what they thought about the US, FIFA, and the now infamous Balogun suspension lift that fueled the fire they absolutely burned the USMNT with. 

Venue: The Big Game Brussels Sports Bar

Cost: Several €/pp (an undisclosed number of drinks—we were really hitting our stride)

Match vibes: 9/10 (The only thing that could have made getting flipped off and ridiculed after each and every goal of this game would have been the US beating Belgium… and us not getting punched for it afterward)

Result: Belgium 4 : 1 USA

Quiet Brussels was pleasant, but we needed to get out of dodge and were fiending for some beach time. The stars (prices and flight schedules) aligned for Costa del Sol, poolside sunshine, and more delicious seafood. La Liga may not have been in session, but that didn’t stop us footy travelers from getting in a tour of Malaga CF’s Estadio de Rosaleda too.

Venue: Plazas de la Merced, Carbón, and de la Constitución (all within short walking distance of each other)

Cost: Something close to €34/pp (you guessed it…cervezas!)

Match vibes: 8/10 (Malaga in the summer is chock full of Brits on holiday, but they seemed to congregate at the British pubs and bars they imported with them. You’ll find Spaniards enjoying the standing room only, outdoors in the squares lifestyle, waving and wearing their flags proudly)

Result: Spain 2 : 1 Belgium

Flying through London meant that we serendipitously had the absolute esteemed privilege and pleasure of watching yet another England World Cup match… with the English. Only had “There’ll be no f**king rowing, in New York!” stuck in our heads for a day or two later, so that was good. At least we got to spend time with our friends from Homefans and join the other non-English footy fans in giving them grief.

Venue: The Albany Pub & Restaurant

Cost: €22/pp (the cost of a couple rounds)

Match vibes: 6/10 (Being in a British pub felt like it should have been a bit more lively, with the cocky singing and chanting really only coming after goals were secured. Norway striking first may have put a dent in the overall confidence, or maybe the general consensus during any elimination match is that it simply might not be coming home. Who knows?)

Result: England 2 : 1 Norway (AET)

So you may have gone through the 8 stops we made across 16 days and wondered, “Are these guys actually insane?” And while the answer may be closer to ‘affirmative’ than not, the real question that you should be asking is, “Wouldn’t this be just as expensive as going to all those games AT the actual World Cup?” That answer: not even close!

Some people spent tens of thousands of dollars following World Cup matches or their favorite teams across the US. Others spent hundreds of thousands! Our costs, including:

…added up to just $5,319 per person! You could have easily spent that on 2 tickets for a single match at World Cup 2026, BEFORE things like food & drinks and flights & hotels (if you needed them). 

So while Infantino and FIFA continue to push the hard sell of “the biggest and best World Cup in history” with billions of dollars generated to “develop the game” around the world, know this: 

To me, being a footy traveler is unequivocally on par with the true spirit of the World Cup. The only thing better than breaking down barriers and connecting with people from different parts of the world, is doing it through the best sport in the world. This summer, Chasing the World Cup Spirit was about testing whether that feeling and connection could come from outside the tournament, about proving that you don’t need to spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars succumbing to the extractive nature of the new World Cup experience. And I think we proved that point. 

Passion for the game is everywhere. It’s not just in stadiums. It’s in bars and pubs across the world. In plazas and parks turned into public viewing venues. In a stranger’s home who invites you to dinner because you’re wearing their nation’s football top. 

Yes, being able to say you were at a World Cup game is a cool feather in your cap. Being able to support your country on the world’s biggest stage is an even better reason to do whatever you can, or even sacrifice something significant, to be there in person. Getting to connect with your fellow countrymen or other fans from around the world and enjoy even just a few moments of shared joy and humanity—that’s some once in a lifetime sh*t right there. But to say that it absolutely must come in the form of paying more than a month’s wages? Or selling a vehicle? Or borrowing on your house in order to get there and get into the stadium—going into debt whichever way you want—simply because an organization that’s lost its way, with a long-standing history of corruption, puts a particular price on it? There’s a better way. A better way to get all of the above (beyond the superficial bragging rights), while spending an amount that recognizes a fan’s value not just as a source of income, but as a fellow human being. Or at least a way that resembles something more accurately described as ‘reasonable.’

We had an absolute blast Chasing the World Cup Spirit this summer. We have a blast everywhere we go, quite frankly (“Everywhere we goooo!”). But it’s time to share these experiences with the rest of the world. We know we’re not the only ones who feel frustrated by things like FIFA trying to sell minority stakes in the most beautiful gathering on the face of the planet. And we know we’re not the only ones who find the World Cup to be that most beautiful gathering on the face of the planet. 

If you consider yourself a footy traveler, or even just someone who loves to travel and likes footy, we hope you’ll consider joining us on our upcoming adventures. You can register your interest at any time on our website. We hope to see you on the road soon!