World Cup Guide - February 2025

2026 Hospitality Ticket Updates, Volunteering for 2025 & 2026, Travel Packages & more!

February 05, 2025

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As always, don’t forget to check the core website, theworldcupguide.com for info on how tickets work, costs of attending previous World Cups and more!

February 2025 World Cup Digest

This edition covers:

Less Than 500 Days to Go!

Can you believe it? There’s less than 500 days to go until 2026 World Cup is upon us! With the timing of Qatar 2022 being in November & December, the period between the two tournaments was shortened by 6 months and it’s really noticeable. FIFA, Host Cities, media, etc were all publishing a 500 Day notice all over the socials a few days ago. Here’s about 2 a min video FIFA produced to get people hyped.

2026 Hospitality Ticket News

As mentioned in previous newsletters, the official FIFA 2026 hospitality program, managed by On Location, provides premium match experiences with varying levels of exclusivity, seating proximity, and amenities.

You can put a deposit down of $500 to gain “priority” access to the packages now on the official site.

However, details have slowly started to emerge from people regarding options and prices as (some?) MLS Season Ticket Holders reportedly have an advantage. In fact, here’s a link to a brochure of the options from one MLS team and this site links to FC Dallas communication.

What’s the biggest news released here?

There will NOT be single match tickets available for hospitality.

That’s a huge shift in strategy and will be disappointing for many fans. The FAQ section of On Location hints that could change - but don’t expect the strategy to change if these packages sell well.

Instead the minimum package is a group of 4 matches. Below, I attempted to summarize the aforementioned brochure below:

Hospitality Packages: 3 Tiers, 5 Categories + 4 Ticket Bundle Options

That is you pick a ticket bundle option and then apply that to a package category and that category is under a tier that implies its exclusivity. Also, with the differences of each stadium, the offerings may vary slightly as well.

Tier 1: Private Suites

Best for: Corporate groups, high wealth individuals, private gatherings - any fan(s) wanting the ultra luxury experience in a private setting.

  • Fully enclosed, climate-controlled spaces for a secluded, luxury experience.

  • Private catering, in-suite service, and top-tier hospitality.

  • Premium mid-tier seating with expansive stadium views.

Subcategories:

  • Private Suites – Private suites with VIP catering.

Tier 2: Lounges & Clubs

Best for: Fans who want exclusive hospitality with premium field-level seating.

  • Close-to-field premium seating with lounge access.

  • Upscale dining, open bars, and entertainment in a private club setting.

  • More social than suites but still exclusive.

Subcategories:

  • Pitchside Lounge – A blend of football culture and VIP perks.

  • Champions Club – High-energy VIP lounges with premium food & entertainment.

  • VIP – Ultra-premium seating with exclusive hospitality zones.

Tier 3: Pavilion

Best for: Fans who want an upgraded but relaxed matchday experience with social engagement.

  • Mid-tier stadium seating paired with access to hospitality lounges.

  • Buffet-style dining, open bars, and live entertainment.

  • More casual and social than private suites or pitchside clubs.

Subcategories:

  • FIFA Pavilion – Designated hospitality areas where fans can mingle, enjoy premium perks, and engage in live football-themed events.

Hospitality Ticket Options & Pricing

Each hospitality tier is available in different bundles:

  • Venue Series

  • Follow My Team

  • 4 Matches

  • 8 Matches

Ticket Bundle Pricing

Full transparency has not been made completely public online but have seen and heard directly from people that this starts around $8,000 per person for the cheapest option and 4 game viewing. This would be roughly $2,000 per match per person (yes, I know 8K / 4 = 2K but using approximate as I don’t know 100% the published costs but have seen about $8K thrown around). Prices may also vary based on stadium.

How does that compare to 2022 Qatar? Well, for the group stages, you could purchase 1 match at a time for as low as $950 per person.

On Sale Soon

Last comment: I suspect that this month or so will begin the sale of Hospitality for those that put down a $500 deposit so be on the lookout as pricing details will of course be publicized around the world at that time.

2026 World Cup - Travel Package Options

I didn’t see anything in the hospitality documentation detailed above about combining a hospitality ticket with a “white glove”, luxury service addition for travel and accommodations like we saw in Qatar 2022. It seems like a common action here is to find a respected travel agent or plan it yourself.

I’ve come across budgets and goals of all shapes and sizes in correspondence with people via emails, social DMs and responses to this newsletter. All this to say, if you’re looking for a corporate travel package deal and/or you want an all-out luxury experience beyond a match ticket, I recommend you reach out to the premier luxury sports travel company, Roadtrips. I also discuss this in more detail here.

You can respond to this email if you want a personal introduction or mention me if you do reach out to them on your own.

2025 Club World Cup - Volunteering

However, if you live in one of the host cities, you may be interested in knowing that the 2025 Volunteer Opportunities are open for application.

I have been asked about 2026 and it seems these are still in development.

That said, many Host Cities for 2026 seem to be hiring for Managers of the volunteers that eventually get selected and I’ll cover this a bit more below.

2026 FIFA World Cup - Volunteering

Here’s the list of Host Cities for 2026 and their dedicated sites again. I listed this a few newsletters ago but the number of subscribers to this newsletter has essentially doubled since then.

There’s also an update to Monterrey as it now has a solo site instead of just a Facebook page. Oddly, Mexico City’s dedicated page is still not showing anything and the Facebook page is still the site linked from FIFA. 🤷‍♂️

Regarding Volunteering Opportunities, I put a ✅ next to the sites that have info at the time this newsletter publishes.

Side note, I really enjoyed the video that the Guadalajara team did and I have a personal goal to visit one city in Mexico for 2026.

It may have swayed me to Guadalajara but honestly, maybe a trip to all 3 should be prioritized?

Answering Reader Questions

Interested in submitting a question?

You can hit respond directly from your inbox to send a message to submit a question. I’m summarizing the latest messages below:

  1. When buying 2026 tickets in Phase 1 - the Lottery - will I be purchasing tickets to matches without knowing the teams?

    In a typical FIFA World Cup, that is correct. Phase 1 occurs before the draw so applicants will only know the date, city and (maybe) the kickoff time and the group (i.e. A2 vs A3).

  2. When buying 2026 tickets, do we get to choose our seating location?

    As answering above, I will use the word “typically” as FIFA can change how a tournament operates. That said - in a typical tournament in the past - NO, you do not get to select a seat location. In fact, you don’t even know what seat you’re assigned until just a couple months out from the first kickoff.

    Additionally, with the mobile tickets, you don’t even get the tickets in your possession until weeks ahead of time and you can’t even activate the ticket until match day within a specific geographic location. Check out this article from 2023 which has some more info and videos from FIFA on this topic of mobile ticket use and “activation”.

  3. Do I have any concerns about logistics?

    Yes; however, that’s true every tournament and the worst memories I have are the heavy rains in Recife in 2014, which prevented some people from arriving to the match on time and it taking 2 hours to get through security checks in St. Petersburg in 2018.

    That said, this article from “The Transit Guy” on Substack has a great illustration and some valid worries (though, a bit doomsday-ish) about the disparity between USA at least and its poor public transit when compared to other countries that prioritize public transit. The title is “How the 2026 World Cup Will Embarrass the United States” but we all hold hope that it won’t be this bad.

  4. Are On Location & FIFA Still Hiring for 2026?

    Yes. I know I linked to specific jobs in past newsletters but you can also visit the main careers listing sites directly of both for more info:

  1. Director, Project Management FIFA Properties

    Looks like MLS is hiring for this role (and why it isn’t above with On Location and FIFA links).

    Spain continues their domination in their influence on the sport as the winners for this award were Rodri (Man City & Spain) + Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona + Spain). Aitana also won the award in 2023.

  2. Languatalk Going Viral for its AI Learning Center for Languages

    We’re happy that Languatalk, an OG supporter of the site, is getting recognized for not only its user-friendly online tutor marketplace but now for its AI-powered tutor with natural conversations to enhance learning & practice without relying on schedules of other people.

    The video is 13 minutes and takes a few seconds to get past the intro but highlights the use-case for those interested in learning a new language as they travel abroad.

  3. Three World Cup Facts that sound fake but are true

    It’s honestly a bit entertaining.

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