By Otieno Bildad
Football’s biggest festival is turning into a luxury affair. A new analysis suggests that following a team through the 2026 FIFA World Cup could cost fans up to Sh9.4 million for two people.
The analysis by sports betting platform AceOdds.com suggests that a travelling pair who follow their team from the group stage all the way to the final could spend an average of about Sh9.4 million, turning what is usually a dream journey into a luxury expedition.
The study reviewed more than 120,000 accommodation listings and over 50,000 flight routes, attempting to map out the real cost of supporting a team across three countries and a vast network of host cities.
At the heart of the bill are match tickets. Based on secondary market prices, tickets alone account for nearly half of the total cost, averaging about Sh4.6 million for two people. For those who make it all the way to the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a single match ticket for two could rise to around Sh2.3 million—more than the cost of an entire group stage experience for many travelling fans.
But the price of loyalty is not evenly shared.
Flights take up about 19 per cent of the total budget, underlining the scale of movement required across North America. Accommodation follows at roughly 23 per cent, while food and daily spending account for about 8 percent.
This heavy reliance on air travel creates sharp inequalities between nations, depending on distance, routing and logistics.
Fans from Iraq are projected to face the steepest costs. A travelling pair from Baghdad could need around Sh11.2 million, with flights alone consuming about Sh3.6 million. Jordan follows closely at approximately Sh10.8 million, while Argentina completes the top three at about Sh10.5 million.
At the more affordable end of the spectrum, Panama stands out with an estimated Sh8.5 million for two fans, helped by shorter travel distances and relatively lower accommodation costs. The Czech Republic and Mexico also rank among the less costly journeys.
Even among football’s traditional giants, the figures remain striking. English supporters would need about Sh7.8 million to follow the Three Lions through a theoretical run from group stages to the final, depending on venues such as Atlanta, Mexico City and Miami.
France and Spain are projected at around Sh9.2 million, Germany at roughly Sh9.4 million, while Brazilian fans would need close to Sh8.6 million to follow their Seleção across the continent.
Even the hosts are not spared. United States supporters are expected to spend about Sh11 million for two people, driven by long internal travel distances between cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle and New Jersey, as well as high demand and pricing on home soil.
While past World Cups have tested fans financially, the 2026 edition stands apart for its scale. With three host nations spread across a vast continent and rising costs in travel and hospitality, the tournament is shaping up to be one of the most expensive football pilgrimages in modern history.
For many fans, the question may no longer be whether their team will qualify—but whether they can afford to follow them.
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