The Biggest Reason to Travel This Year? Sports

With the NFL playing more games in places as far afield as Brazil, football has never been more globally popular. Toby Skinner spends the day at Wembley Stadium with England's super fans.

View in browser  |  Manage preferences How the NFL Charmed Londoners In India, Few Experiences Are as Thrilling as a Local Cricket Match The Best Place to See Great Tennis? Anywhere But the Grand Slams The Biggest Reason to Travel This Year? Sports There is no doubt about it: sports is a leading reason to travel. And with so many high profile events happening, 2026 is set to be a banner year for it. Take, for example, the Winter Olympics, shining a spotlight on Northern Italy, from Milan through the Dolomites (and giving travelers reason to indulge in the area's celebrated polenta and skiing). In June, an estimated six million people are expected to pour into North America as 16 cities in three countries host the FIFA World Cup. Then, of course, there is all the regularly scheduled programming: tennis grand slams from Melbourne to Paris, the recent Super Bowl, and a little circuit known as Formula 1, now racing in high glitz destinations including Bahrain, Las Vegas, and Monaco. And with it all comes the fans, who come as much for the spectacle as they do the Bollinger served trackside and A-Listers sat front row at the US Open finals. Sports tourism is now an estimated $680 billion dollar industry according to the United Nations, accounting for 10 percent of the travel industry. And it's showing no signs of slowing down. Beyond those big tentpole moments on a sporting calendar, the sports themselves—just like food or art—continue to be a gateway into a destination. What better way to understand the vitality of New York City than at a Knicks or Liberty game? Or the thrill of Mumbai than with locals at an Indian Premier League cricket match? Take that concept one step further, and bring a favorite sport to a fresh destination—the NFL is now playing regulation season games in places as far flung as Melbourne, London, São Paulo, and Berlin—and you have the team's hometown fans stamping passports to cheer them on. And it's nice to remember, too, that not all beloved sports live and die by those large, near-impossible-to-afford moments. Some of the best tennis you can watch endures outside of the Grand Slams in the ATP tournaments, taking place in gorgeous destinations like Rome (and who wouldn't want to fly to Italy to watch Jannik Sinner?). Keeping reading for inspiration on where to go next—and insights from a few of your favorite players. Just remember to book your game tickets before the flight. —Erin Florio READ MORE Why the World Cup is Worth Traveling For—Even if You Can't Get Tickets READ MORE Inside Las Vegas's Electric Reinvention Into a Sports Capital READ MORE Why this ad? What We're Packing What To Pack For... Tokyo In Japan, locals will often hide their shoulders, décolletage, or both. So long as you're avoiding low cut tank tops with thin straps, you're already off to a good start. The blouses below are beautiful styles that respect the Japanese fashion norms: They're trendy, stylish, and easy to assemble into various outfits. Tuckernuck Front Row Bea blouse SHOP NOW Buck Mason Mainstay cotton shirt SHOP NOW Rue Sophie pintuck shirt SHOP NOW Gap Oxford shirt SHOP NOW Mozambique's Moment In The Sun With wide-open beaches and high-style stays, Mozambique is on the cusp of a tourism boom. READ MORE Where Was Sentimental Value Filmed? An Intimate Look at Joachim Trier's Oslo A tour of the Norwegian capital by way of the director's Oscar-nominated movie. READ MORE Why this ad? This e-mail was sent to you by Condé Nast Traveler. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, condenasttraveler@newsletter.cntraveler.com, to your address book. View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe | Manage Preferences Copyright © Condé Nast 2026. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.