Touring the US World Cup 2026 Host Cities
The 2026 World Cup put matches in eleven US cities, from Seattle to Miami, between June and July 2026. The tournament is over, but those cities make a natural itinerary for anyone touring the US, and the travel pattern is the same: several cities, domestic flights or long drives between them, and a phone doing the navigating in a new place every few days.
Eleven cities, three time zones
The US host cities were Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. They spread across the Eastern, Central and Pacific time zones, and most pairs are a flight apart rather than a drive.
What that means for your phone:
- Leave automatic time zone on. Your phone updates when you land. Double-check bookings made before the trip: some apps show times in local time, others in the time zone you booked from.
- Set alarms for flights in local time once you've arrived, not before you leave home.
Landing in a new city every few days
The airport is where a working plan pays for itself. You'll want to check your gate change, message your host and book a ride before you've reached baggage claim.
- Ride-hail pickups at large US airports are usually in a signed zone, sometimes a walk or shuttle away from the terminal. Open the app as you walk so you can follow the signs it gives you.
- Airport trains and transit are the fastest option in some cities. The city guides for each destination cover the airports and how to get into town.
- Rental cars: load the route to your hotel before you leave the parking garage, where signal can be weak.
Transit cities and car cities
US cities differ more than visitors expect in how you get around, and that changes how you use data.
| City | Getting around | Phone does most work as |
|---|---|---|
| New York, Boston, Philadelphia | Subway, trains and walking | Transit directions and tap-to-pay |
| San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle | Transit in the centre, car or ride-hail further out | A mix of transit routes and ride-hail |
| Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Miami | Mostly car or ride-hail, long distances | Navigation and ride-hail all day |
Kansas City doesn't have a city guide yet; plan it like the car cities. For the day of a game or concert at one of these stadiums, see stadium days in the host cities.
Data for a city-hopping trip
At our recommender's rates (0.5 GB a day for photos and social apps, 1.3 GB for streaming, plus 15% headroom; how the rates work):
- 10 days, three cities, photos and socials: 5 GB, about 6 GB with headroom.
- 16 days, four cities, photos and socials: 8 GB, about 9.2 GB with headroom.
- 16 days, with 4 long driving days streaming music: 12 social days (6 GB) plus 4 streaming days (5.2 GB) = 11.2 GB, about 12.9 GB with headroom.
Car cities push you toward the higher numbers, because navigation runs all day. The USA eSIM guide has the live plan ladder and a trip-by-usage table. If your tour adds Toronto, Vancouver or Mexico City, read our route guide on the North America eSIM first.
Before you fly
Size one USA plan for the whole tour. If you need a local number for hosts or tour companies, a few US plans include one; our USA eSIM guide covers that choice and fixed versus unlimited. New to travel eSIMs? How a travel eSIM works covers checking your phone, paying and installing at home.
Questions
Does one US eSIM cover every host city?
Yes. A USA plan covers the whole country, so New York, Dallas, Los Angeles and the rest are all on the same plan. You only need something else if you cross into Canada or Mexico.
Do I need a US phone number for a multi-city trip?
Only if people need to call or text you on a US number. Most of our US plans are data-only, and that suits most tours: you message through apps and keep your home number on the phone for bank codes.
Does the eSIM work on domestic flights?
Not in the air. Keep the phone in airplane mode and use the airline's Wi-Fi if it has some. The eSIM reconnects when you land, and the days keep counting from your first connection in the US.