Is the World Cup Too Expensive? US Tickets, Travel and How Malaysian Fans Save
Just how expensive is the US-hosted World Cup
The 2026 World Cup is hosted across the USA, Canada and Mexico, and fans hoping to attend are finding the cost eye-watering. Between match tickets, flights and hotels, an in-person trip quickly adds up. Many European fans have openly complained that tickets are pricey, accommodation is scarce, and travelling between host cities is a major expense too. For supporters on a budget, attending the World Cup in person is far from cheap.
Where the money goes
The big costs of attending usually fall into three buckets: tickets, flights and hotels, and inter-city travel. Tickets for marquee fixtures are hard to get and rising in price; hotels in host cities are in short supply and inflated during the tournament; and with 16 cities spread across three nations, following your team city to city adds flights and time. Stack these together and a budget balloons fast.
Malaysian fans: watching at home is the smart play
For Malaysian fans there is a far cheaper way to enjoy the World Cup — watch free at home. RTM and Unifi TV jointly broadcast all 104 matches for free via MyTV, RTM Klik and Unifi TV, so you can follow the whole tournament without spending a cent. Compared with an expensive trip to the States, gathering friends in front of the screen is both cheaper and just as thrilling — unbeatable value.
Set on going? Plan to save
If you are determined to soak up the atmosphere, planning ahead saves plenty: lock in tickets and travel early, avoid the priciest fixtures like the final, favour same-city back-to-back games, and use public transport over taxis. Concentrating your trip in one or two cities cuts both money and fatigue. Sensible budgeting and off-peak travel are key to lowering the cost of attending.
The value pick
Ultimately, the joy of the World Cup is not about how much you spend but about not missing a single great game. For most Malaysian fans, the free local broadcast is more than enough to bring the passion home, and saving the budget for next time may be the wiser call.
Check the schedule and free viewing
To plan around Malaysia time without overspending, bookmark our full fixtures (Malaysia time) and our free viewing guide; every kick-off is converted to Malaysia time and the free channels are spelled out, so every match is sorted.
