When it comes to jet-setting around the world, sports aren’t always the first thing that comes to mind. Trips are usually planned around certain events, like national holidays, or general vacations that are designed for total relaxation. People are more likely to imagine sunny beaches, beautiful cities, and cozy nights with loved ones when they think of planning their next trip.
But that doesn’t mean sports aren’t a good reason to travel. In 2022, Qatar hosted more than 1.4 million visitors for the FIFA World Cup. Back in 2014, Brazil welcomed an astounding 3.4 million travelers for the same event. Already, organizers of the 2024 Summer Olympics in France are anticipating close to 15 million spectators for next year’s competition.
While the World Cup and Olympics are some of the largest global events, even more niche sporting interests are also worth traveling for. For many fans, this is a prime form of engagement. Typically, they stick to watching games and events remotely. Many also wager on outcomes using offers from OddsChecker, which aggregates the best offers from sportsbooks.
But even if they manage to beat the spread or nail their parlay bet, that doesn’t put them in reaching distance of the action. If you want to get closer to some of the world’s biggest sporting events this year (and maybe wager live from the stands), then consider booking your tickets to catch one of the events listed below. Each is an official World Cup that’s being hosted in a different country.
FIFA Women’s World Cup
Australia & New Zealand, July 20 – August 20
It’s set to be a highly intriguing FIFA Women’s World Cup. Coming into the tournament, the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) will be defending its previous two consecutive wins. They’re favorites to win again this year—but many oddsmakers are also looking at England to compete for the title.
Regardless of which national team wins, spectators will be treated to an incredible experience wherever they head to in Australia or New Zealand. The tournament will be held in the Australian cities of Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Sydney, along with the Kiwi cities of Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, and Dunedin.
FIBA Basketball World Cup
Philippines, Japan, & Indonesia, 25 August – 10 September
The 19th FIBA Basketball World Cup won’t be quite like its predecessors. This is the first tournament that will be hosted across multiple countries—and those nations span from as far south as Indonesia to as far north as Japan. While Japan and the Philippines have hosted before, this will be the first time Indonesia hosts an official FIBA event.
This year, analysts are eyeing the Spanish national team and the Argentinian national team to face off for another finals battle. More importantly, however, the tournament will serve as a qualifier for the upcoming 2024 Olympics. For basketball fans, this adds extra weight to this year’s FIBA World Cup.
The games will be played in Japan’s Okinawa City, Indonesia’s Jakarta, and the Philippines’ Manila. The latter will be an important host location, as it includes three arenas where the games will be held. Okinawa City and Jakarta, by contrast, have only one arena. For this reason, travelers won’t have quite as much freedom to jump from city to city, as with the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup
India, October 5 – November 20
Even if you’re new to cricket, you can appreciate how incredible it is for India to host this year’s ICC Cricket World Cup. Similar to Brazil hosting the FIFA World Cup, India’s strong cultural ties to the sport make it an unbeatable host. Best of all, this will be India’s first time hosting the tournament solo.
While Team India is listed behind both England and Australia as favorites, the atmosphere throughout the country will be unmatched during the World Cup’s duration. And, as with the FIFA Women’s World Cup, there will be a dozen destinations where fans can catch the games. These include venues in Indore, Rajkot, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Dharamsala, Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Guwahati.
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