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With less than 50 days to go until the ‘summer of football’, new KAYAK research suggests many fans are already turning the tournament into a broader travel plan. Nearly a third (32%) of football fans say they have planned or are planning a holiday that coincides with the competition.
Rather than focusing on expensive stadium seats in host countries or competing for tickets to a local UK fan zone, travellers appear to be seeking the atmosphere of watching matches abroad—often in destinations known for late-night venues and outdoor social life.
Spain ranks highest as the top “dream destination” for football viewing on holiday, chosen by 23% of fans. Italy follows with 15%, Portugal with 12%, Greece with 10%, and France with 8%.
KAYAK’s research indicates the motivation extends beyond simply finding a place to watch games. The leading drivers for planning holidays around watching matches are:
To support fans planning football-focused trips, KAYAK has launched a dedicated guide aimed at turning the summer football season into a holiday. The hub compiles commonly searched European destinations during the tournament and includes practical information such as average flight and hotel prices, local beer costs, and guidance on how easy it is to find pubs with suitable screens for matches.
According to the guide, locations such as Málaga in Spain, Rome in Italy, and Paris in France are positioned to meet fans’ football holiday needs.
The study was conducted between 13–14 April 2026 and is based on responses from 2,030 participants using both mobile and desktop devices. All respondents were based in the UK.
KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is a travel search engine. The company says it processes billions of queries across its platforms and helps users find flights, stays, rental cars, and vacation packages, including support for business travellers through its corporate travel solution.
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