Thousands of Sweden supporters were present in Monterrey to watch Sweden defeat Tunisia in the opening match of the Football World Cup. The following two matches, however, will be played in Houston and Dallas, and it is also the USA that has seen the biggest boost ahead of the Football World Cup. Since Sweden secured a place in the Football World Cup, travel bookings to the USA have increased by 51 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to statistics from the travel agency Ticket.
Sweden's qualification for this summer's football World Cup has left its mark on Swedes' travel plans. According to travel agency Ticket's booking statistics, bookings to the USA have increased by 51 percent since Sweden secured its place in the championship, compared to the same period last year.
– We're seeing a clear increase in interest in the USA after Sweden qualified for the World Cup. For many, it's a unique opportunity to experience a World Cup on location while also getting the chance to discover destinations around North America, says Tiyoneh Jah, PR and Communications Manager at Ticket.
Outside of the World Cup period, the increase is more modest. The total booking situation for trips to the USA, based on all trips booked so far in 2026, is 13 percent higher than during the same period in 2025. At the same time, bookings are still 15 percent below the levels from 2024.
– Booking statistics show that interest in the USA is returning, largely due to the World Cup, but for the year as a whole, bookings have still not recovered to the levels we saw previously, says Tiyoneh Jah.
One explanation for the weak development of travel to the USA is the political developments in the USA. According to Ticket's latest Sifo survey, 69 percent of Swedes state that they have less desire to travel to the USA now that Donald Trump is president.
Among those who report a reduced desire to travel, 67 percent state that it is due to a dislike of Trump's policies. At the same time, 51 percent report that their perception of the USA has become more negative, while 37 percent feel less safe travelling to the country. Furthermore, 17 percent state that they are worried about their treatment at border control.
Source: Tickets booking statistics for trips to the USA. The statistics are based partly on bookings made between 31 March and 4 June 2026 for trips with outward and return journeys during the World Cup period, and partly on the overall booking status for trips to the USA booked between 1 January and 4 June 2026. Comparisons have been made against the corresponding periods in 2025 and 2024. The data on Swedes' attitudes towards the USA comes from Tickets' Sifo survey conducted on a nationally representative sample of the Swedish population aged 18–79 years.
