Brazil at the FIFA World Cup 2026: The Seleção's Quest to End a 24-Year Drought

Few stories have the emotional significance as Brazil do, when it comes to the FIFA World Cup. The Seleção, five-time world champions, have played every World Cup to date, arriving at the 2026 edition in high hopes. However, the five-time world champions arrive this summer having not lifted the World Cup since 2002. Brazilian fans will be counting on this World Cup to get them the trophy they've been waiting 24 years for. But Brazil fans in North America aren't waiting this summer. For Brazil fans, 2026 is a make-or-break World Cup.

If you are a Brazilian, or you like football and the yellow and green of the Seleção, and already planned to attend the World Cup, you should get your World Cup 2026 Tickets now, as they're likely to be gone across all cities soon.

Will Brazil Perform Well?

Brazil enters 2026 with one of the best teams in the 48-nation tournament. In their last tournament in Qatar 2022, they were knocked out on penalties in the quarterfinals by Croatia, a result that still affects Brazil. After Qatar 2022, Brazil put together another group of talented strikers that were among the best attacking forces in European club football for the last two years. Brazil has had a problem over the years when faced with a well-organized European side playing high-pressing football. Brazil plays the type of football that works best with the wide pitches of North America and a more pleasant climate than that of Qatar. A Brazil semi-final or even appearance in the final should come as no surprise. The expanded format with group winners and second-placed sides automatically qualifying, as well as the best third-placed sides, makes it slightly easier to qualify than before, but Brazil does not want to depend on this.

Is a Visa Required for Brazilians to Attend the World Cup?

Brazilian fans who want to attend the FIFA World Cup need to be aware of certain entry requirements.

United States: As of this writing, Brazil is not on the US Visa Waiver Program list. If you are a Brazilian national, you need to obtain a B-1/B-2 US tourist visa before traveling to the United States. You should apply as soon as possible. Visit state.gov/fifa-world-cup-26-visas, the special US Department of State website for World Cup fans, to learn more about the application process, necessary documents, and processing times for the World Cup. In times of major events like the World Cup, visas for the US Embassy in Brasília and for US consulates in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are booked up months in advance. Be sure to have your DS-160 form filled out, have a valid passport, be financially ready, and be able to show hotel bookings and return travel booked. Don't just wait three or four months before your trip — begin now.

Canada: Most Brazilian visitors to Canada by air need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). An eTA application can be done online in a few days or less, although applications may take longer to process during high seasons. Land-based arrivals from the US will need a visitor's visa. Even if a match is not being held in Canada, anyone using a Canadian airport as a travel hub should check Canadian entry requirements before travelling.

Mexico: Brazilians can enter Mexico for up to 180 days without a visa. Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey therefore represent accessible host cities for fans that do not want a US visa application. In fact, several Brazilians will likely be based in Mexico — especially in the opening weeks of the tournament.

Host Cities: Where Brazilian Fans Should Be

Brazil's group stage fixtures will be in several host cities. In the elimination stage of the tournament, the team could go on to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, and then MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the World Cup will conclude on July 19.

Miami is the obvious home of the Brazilian fans, where the largest population of Brazilian immigrants in North America can be found. There are neighbourhoods where Portuguese is spoken, Brazilian groceries are plentiful, and Brazilian barbecue restaurants line the streets. It feels less like traveling to a foreign country and more like having a huge Brazilian party abroad.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, provides excellent infrastructure and population density, and will be hosting the tournament at SoFi Stadium, a modern and impressive venue. It's possible to find hotel rooms at a range of prices, and the city and the fan zone at Inglewood has been extensively upgraded.

New York will be very far away, but if Brazil reach the World Cup Final, it may be worth the long trip to the New York/New Jersey metro area. The World Cup venues are easy to reach by train — a 30-minute hop to MetLife Stadium. The sheer density of media, passion, and expat fans that will be swarming the New York metro area in the knockout rounds is truly a phenomenon unlike anything else on earth.

Accommodation: Where to Stay

Hotel bookings are picking up quickly. Here's some quick advice by city:

Miami area: Hotel rooms closer to Hard Rock Stadium include those in Aventura, Doral, and the Design District. However, if you're looking for walkable areas to enjoy before or after the games, Brickell and Downtown Miami would be more suited.

Los Angeles area: There are almost no high-end accommodations in the immediate vicinity of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and if they exist, they're expensive. Staying in El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, or Marina del Rey, and heading into the stadium via the Metro K Line, will be the most convenient means of getting around.

Dallas area: Arlington is where AT&T Stadium is situated, located about halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth. If proximity to the stadium is your main goal, then the most convenient option is staying within Arlington proper. However, if you want to enjoy a city with a more robust infrastructure of restaurants, bars, and attractions for your multi-day stay, downtown Dallas would make sense.

New York/New Jersey area: The nearest towns to MetLife Stadium include East Rutherford and Secaucus in New Jersey. However, there's a wide selection of hotels within Manhattan if you're willing to shell out the extra cash to ride NJ Transit to the stadium — they run direct on World Cup matchdays.

Book via sites like Booking.com, Hotels.com, or Expedia, which offer free cancellation. Your desired cities will change entirely depending on where Brazil ends up playing in each round.

Getting There: Flights and Internal Travel

Several airlines, including LATAM, Azul, American Airlines, and United, fly direct from GRU (Guarulhos) and GIG (Galeão) to Miami, New York JFK, Los Angeles LAX, and Dallas DFW. Prices will only get steeper as the tournament gets closer, which is why anyone planning to attend should be booking flights now if they haven't already.

For getting around during the World Cup, flights are the most convenient option. Major domestic carriers including Southwest, Delta, and American fly regularly between all eleven US host cities. If you're doing a multi-leg trip to watch more than one game, give yourself a buffer day or two between host cities. Travel fatigue and weather-induced delays are more prevalent during the World Cup, so extra time between matches is a smart precaution.

Tickets: The Practical Reality

Official World Cup 2026 tickets are being distributed through FIFA.com — the best place to check for remaining allocations, official resale listings, and packages offered directly by FIFA. If your ideal matchups aren't available, skip Reddit threads, Facebook groups, and other social media platforms entirely. Instead, go through a verified reseller like Ticombo, Seatpick, or any other trusted and verified secondary marketplace who will guarantee each transaction. Tickets may be higher than face value on the secondary market. For those going in groups, plan ahead — tickets on the resale market don't always come with adjacent seats, and stadiums seat differently in every host city.

Practical Tips for the Journey

Currency: US Dollars work everywhere at any venue or across any host city. Avoid airport currency exchange counters — stick with ATMs or apps like Wise for the most favourable exchange rates from Brazilian Real.

Phone plans: Most American carriers offer eSIM plans for foreign visitors. Airalo and T-Mobile's tourist package give fans flexibility to use as much or as little data as needed.

Health and travel insurance: There is no state-run health coverage for international tourists in the US. Purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy before you go — emergency room visits can cost several thousands of dollars.

Brazilian Consulates: These can be found in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Houston, and Chicago. Take note of the relevant emergency numbers before departing.

Weather: June and July are genuinely hot in Miami, Dallas, and Los Angeles. Make sure you're hydrating properly before heading into outdoor tailgate spots, especially for those not used to temperatures above 35°C for a sustained period.

Final Thought

The 2026 FIFA World Cup may well be Brazil's best opportunity in 20 years to finally bring the World Cup home again. The squad is strong, the style of play matches the conditions, and there is a real palpable sense of desperation in this group — especially among those who remember the pain of the past World Cup.

Fans making the trip should be ready to see the game from inside a stadium. If you haven't secured your Brazil World Cup 2026 Tickets by now, it is definitely time — these tickets will not be easy to come by this late in the cycle. Every day you wait the pool gets smaller.

The Seleção are coming. The question is how far can they go.

Disclaimer: Visa requirements, hotel availability, flight costs, and ticket policies are subject to change. Fans should verify all entry information with their local government, FIFA's official pages, and their airline. Ticket prices may differ from face value on the secondary market.