Inside evolving FIFA 2026 World Cup plan to cash in on the rise of high-end sports tourism

For consumers who are continuing to spend on high-end experiences, whether that's traveling to Europe to see Taylor Swift or splurging on premium airfare, what promises to be the biggest sporting event to ever take place in North America will provide plenty of options.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly held by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, will have the largest hospitality program in the history of sports, according to On Location CCO Scott Jernigan, which will range from stadium suites and hospitality villages to exclusive food and entertainment experiences.

FIFA selected On Location to be the exclusive hospitality provider for the event, which will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It will be the largest World Cup ever held, hosted across 16 cities in the three countries and featuring 104 matches from 48 teams.

"In the United States there's a big demand for unique experiences and curated moments — sports tourism is booming," Jernigan said.

On Location has been a big part of that push into higher-end experiences around sporting events. Launched in 2015 by the NFL to sell hospitality packages for the Super Bowl, it was acquired by global sports and entertainment company Endeavor in 2020 in a $660 million deal. The company now sells hospitality and ticket packages to NCAA, UFC, MLB and PGA of America events, among others.

In 2021, On Location landed its biggest deal yet: a $1.3 billion deal with the IOC for the exclusive rights to manage the hospitality and experience packages for the next three Olympic Games, which includes Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.

Jernigan, who is in Paris for the Games, said some of what On Location is seeing there will mirror what happens with the World Cup, as people from 120