Nine games. Seven countries. Four continents. The NFL is going abroad this fall with a record number of international games and American fans are ready to follow.
KAYAK data shows US flight searches are up around several international game day weekends, including 4x year over year for Rio de Janeiro and more than 3x for Munich, while searches for Mexico City are up 66%.
But which games give traveling fans the most bang for their buck? KAYAK crunched average airfare and hotel rates across every international host city to see what a six-day getaway could cost.
Here’s where football fans are traveling, and what they can expect to spend to get there and for their stays.
The KAYAK playbook: 5 things fans should know.
- Best value international game: Mexico City — approx. $1,609 for round-trip airfare + five hotel nights
- Biggest flight search increase: Rio de Janeiro — US flight searches around game weekend are 4x higher year over year.
- Cheapest flight to a European game: Madrid — $785 round trip on average.
- Best value European hotels: Munich – $259/night on average, followed by Madrid at $262/night.
- The long-haul surprise: Melbourne has the most expensive airfare at $1,188 round trip, but that’s 3% cheaper than last year during the same week.
What it costs to catch a game abroad.
Going for the game doesn’t mean you have to fly in for kickoff and leave after the final whistle. We mapped out what average flight costs + a five night stay in each host city would cost, plus where to stay and what to do beyond the stands.
Mexico City: value pick – $1,609 for a 6-day trip
Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers (November 22, 2026)
With the lowest estimated trip cost of any international NFL host city on our list, a relatively short flight from the US and no visa required for short stays, Mexico City takes the win for value.
Things to do: Beyond the game, eat your way through Roma Norte and Condesa, spend an afternoon at the Museo Nacional de Antropología or head out to Teotihuacán. Got more time? Add a day in Puebla or an overnight stay in San Miguel de Allende.
Entry requirements for US citizens*:
- Visa: not required
- Passport: valid at the time of entry
KAYAK’s picks for stays
Best for game day
Best for exploring
Best for value
Rio de Janeiro: football, meet futebol — $2,090 for a 6-day trip
Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys (September 27, 2026)
Rio is seeing a serious game-week bump, with US flight searches 4x higher than last year.
Things to do: Beyond kickoff, there’s plenty of reason to stay awhile: beach-hop between Ipanema and Copacabana, take in the views from Sugarloaf Mountain or explore the neighborhoods around Maracanã. Got extra time? Add Ilha Grande or Búzios to the itinerary.
Entry requirements for US citizens*:
- Visa: required
- Passport: valid for one month at the time of entry and have at least one blank page
KAYAK’s picks for stays
Best for game day
Best for the beach
Best for value
Madrid: come for the game, stay for the tapas — $2,095 for a 6-day trip
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons (November 8, 2026)
With average round-trip airfare under $800, Madrid is the most wallet-friendly way to catch a European game on our list.
Things to do: Beyond kickoff, fuel up on tapas, wander the Prado and Retiro Park, and lean into Madrid’s famously late nights. Have an extra day? Toledo and Segovia are both easy escapes from the city.
Entry requirements for US citizens*:
- Visa: not required
- Passport: valid for 3 months beyond your date of departure and have at least one blank page
KAYAK’s picks for stays
Best for game day
Best for exploring
Best for value
Munich: add a Bavarian side to game day — $2,181 for a 6-day trip
New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions (November 15, 2026)
Munich is having a major game-week moment, with US flight searches more than tripling year over year. And there’s another win for fans: Munich has the lowest average nightly hotel rates of any European host city on our list.
Things to do: Off the field, wander the old town, grab a seat at a beer hall and get a taste of Bavaria. For a change of scenery, the Alps are within easy reach, or make a day trip across the border to Salzburg in Austria.
Entry requirements for US citizens*:
- Visa: not required
- Passport: valid for 3 months beyond your date of departure and have at least one blank page
KAYAK’s picks for stays
Best for game day
Best for exploring
Best for value
London: three games, three chances to go — $2,340 for a 6-day trip
Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Commanders (October 4, 2026)
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (October 11, 2026)
Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (October 18, 2026)
With three games on the calendar, London gives fans three chances to turn game day into a full-blown UK getaway.
Things to do: Make the most of your time off the field with London’s markets, museums, iconic neighborhoods and classic pubs. Got an extra day? Hop on a train to Oxford or Bath for an easy escape beyond the city.
Entry requirements for US citizens*:
- Visa: Electronic Travel Authorization required
- Passport: valid for the duration of your planned stay and have at least one blank page
KAYAK’s picks for stays
Best for game day at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Best for game day at Wembley Stadium
Best for value
Melbourne: go big for the NFL’s Australian debut — $2,378 for a 6-day trip
San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (September 10, 2026)
Melbourne is the biggest airfare splurge on our list, perhaps unsurprisingly given the journey from the US. But there’s a small win for fans going the distance: flights around game week are averaging 3% less than last year.
Things to do: You came all this way, so make it count. Dive into Melbourne’s legendary food and coffee scene, get lost in its colorful laneways, then grab a rental car and cruise the Great Ocean Road. The Twelve Apostles make for a pretty epic postgame victory lap.
Entry requirements for US citizens*:
- Visa: required
- Passport: valid at the time of entry and have at least one blank page
KAYAK’s picks for stays
Best for game day
Best for exploring
Best for value
Paris: touchdowns with a French twist — $2,408 for a 6-day trip
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints (October 25, 2026)
The NFL is making its regular-season game debut in Paris and American fans appear ready to say oui: US flight searches around game week are up 28% year over year.
Things to do: Come for the touchdowns, stay for the croissants. Between game day and café stops, make time for museums, neighborhood wandering and a stroll along the Seine. Got an extra day? Add Versailles to the itinerary and turn kickoff into a longer French escape.
Entry requirements for US citizens*:
- Visa: not required
- Passport: valid for 3 months beyond your date of departure and have at least one blank page
KAYAK’s picks for stays
Best for game day
Best for exploring
Best for value
Travel to International Games 2026: FAQs.
The NFL will play a record nine international regular-season games across seven countries in 2026. The lineup includes 49ers vs. Rams in Melbourne, Ravens vs. Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Colts vs. Commanders, Eagles vs. Jaguars and Texans vs. Jaguars in London, Steelers vs. Saints in Paris, Bengals vs. Falcons in Madrid, Patriots vs. Lions in Munich and Vikings vs. 49ers in Mexico City. Melbourne, Rio and Paris will host regular-season games for the first time.
Based on average round-trip airfare plus five hotel nights, Mexico City offers the lowest estimated cost for a 6–day trip at $1,609, excluding game tickets and other expenses.
Mexico City has the lowest average airfare from the US in KAYAK’s analysis, at $494 round trip. Among European host cities, Madrid is cheapest at $785 round trio on average.
Mexico City has the cheapest average hotel rates among the 2026 international pro football host cities analyzed by KAYAK, at $223 per night. In Europe, Munich offers the lowest average nightly rate at $259, which is 18% lower than the same period last year.
Rio de Janeiro has the biggest year-over-year increase in US flight searches around game week, with searches four times higher than last year.
Methodology
Flight and hotel insights are based on searches made on KAYAK.com between 13.05.2026 and 11.08.2026, for travel around each of the 2026 NFL international games with travel dates within these periods:
- Melbourne: September 7–13, 2026
- Rio de Janeiro: September 24–30, 2026
- London: October 1–21, 2026
- Paris: October 22–28, 2026
- Madrid: November 5–11, 2026
- Munich: November 12–18, 2026
- Mexico City: November 19–25, 2026
Year-over-year flight search comparisons use equivalent search and travel periods in 2025.
Average flight prices are based on round-trip economy fares from any airport in US to each international host city. Accommodation prices are for 1 night in a double room.
Estimated trip costs are based on the average 2026 round-trip flight price with five nights at the average nightly accommodation rate for each destination. They do not include game tickets, meals, local transportation or other trip expenses.
All prices are average and may vary depending on search date, departure city, travel dates, availability and other factors. Savings are not guaranteed. Percentages for changes in searches and prices are approximate.
*The requirements for visa and passport validity for each destination are based on information from the US Travel Advisory website as of August 20, 2026.
