The Rise of Sports Travel

Send us Fan Mail A jersey can do what a guidebook cannot: it gets you welcomed. That single idea opens the door to a much bigger trend, the rise of sports tourism as one of the most powerful forces in experiential travel today. With the FIFA World Cup 2026 set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and cities like Toronto preparing to take center stage, the momentum behind sports-led travel is only accelerating. In this episode, Dan is joined by co-host Aizaz Sheikh, Senior Marketing Leader in Adventure Travel and a lifelong soccer fan, bringing both an operator’s perspective and a genuine passion for the game to the conversation. Together, they sit down with Brandon Ehrhardt, VP of Marketing at Expedia Group, and Daniel Velásquez, Founder and COO of Homefans, to unpack what both the data and on-the-ground experience are revealing. Brandon shares the true scale of sports travel, why it’s a structural shift rather than a seasonal spike, and how travelers are increasingly extending their trips well beyond match day. We also explore the “spillover effect,” where demand expands into nearby cities as fans optimize for price, stay longer, and explore more. Daniel explains why the future of sports travel goes far beyond tickets. It’s about locally led, immersive experiences that shape what happens before, during, and after the match, from food and rituals to logistics, safety, and that hard-to-replicate sense of community. Along the way, we discuss groundhoppers, iconic derbies, stadium nostalgia, and how even mid-sized cities can transform during major events, as well as emerging categories like endurance and participation travel. If you work in travel marketing, distribution, or advising clients, this conversation is packed with practical insights on packaging, curation, and where the real revenue opportunity lies as sports tourism continues to scale globally. 👉 Listen to The Rise of Sports Travel Now 🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 7 Title Sponsors for their Support: Bokun, Civitatis, Intrepid, Kaptio, Propellic and Protect Group The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/