Travel Insurance for the FIFA World Cup 2026: A Guide for Fans Travelling To and From Canada

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the first tournament in history to be co-hosted by three countries: Canada, the United States, and Mexico. For fans, that means cross-border travel, varying weather conditions, packed stadiums, unexpected medical emergencies, and significant non-refundable expenses for flights, accommodations, and match tickets. 

With so much invested in the trip, the right travel insurance protects you from unexpected medical costs, travel disruptions, and financial losses, while letting you focus on enjoying the tournament.

Quick facts about FIFA World Cup 2026

Do you need travel insurance for the FIFA World Cup?

Yes, travel insurance is recommended for the FIFA World Cup. Whether you are travelling to Canada or attending matches in the United States or Mexico, visitor insurance or travel insurance can help protect you against unexpected medical expenses, trip cancellations, travel delays, missed connections, lost baggage, and other disruptions.

Medical treatment in Canada, the United States, and Mexico can be expensive for visitors, and even a minor illness or injury could result in high out-of-pocket costs and disrupt your tournament plans. For example, an emergency room visit in the United States alone can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000, while more serious medical treatment can run into $10,000 in the host cities. Travel insurance helps protect both your health and the money you have invested in attending the tournament.

Who should buy travel insurance for the FIFA World Cup?

The following groups should strongly consider purchasing a travel insurance policy before heading out for the FIFA tournament:

• Canadians travelling to another province: If you are attending matches in Toronto or Vancouver from another province, your provincial health plan may not cover all expenses. Expenses such as prescription medications and certain out-of-pocket medical costs may not be fully reimbursed. A travel insurance policy can help fill these gaps
• Canadians travelling to the U.S. or Mexico: Provincial plans cover only a tiny fraction of out-of-country medical costs, often less than 10% of hospital bills in the U.S. or Mexico. Canadians attending matches in the U.S. or Mexico should consider comprehensive travel insurance that includes emergency medical coverage, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, baggage protection, and emergency assistance services
• Visitors travelling to Canada: Visitors travelling to Canada to attend FIFA matches should consider visitor health insurance, which can help cover emergency medical expenses, hospitalization, prescription medications, and other eligible healthcare costs incurred during their stay

Why is travel insurance important for the FIFA World Cup?

Flights are booked months in advance. Hotels sell out early. Match tickets are paid in full and are non-refundable. When something disrupts that plan, the costs land directly on you unless you have coverage in place. 

So, whether you are attending one match in Canada or following your team across multiple cities in the U.S. and Mexico, these are some of the situations where travel insurance becomes crucial to protect you financially:

• Medical emergencies: Unexpected illnesses or injuries can occur at any stage of your FIFA World Cup trip, whether from unfamiliar food, dehydration in hot host cities like Dallas, or accidents in crowded stadiums and fan zones. Medical treatment can be costly, especially in the U.S., which will host about 75% of the matches. Similarly, visitors to Canada are generally not covered under provincial healthcare plans and may face significant out-of-pocket medical expenses
• Flight disruptions: For fans hopping between host cities, say Vancouver to Houston, tight layovers, delays, and overbooked connections become a genuine risk. Travel insurance covers the cost of rebooking, additional hotel nights, and meals when a delay pushes your plans off course
• Trip cancellation and interruption: A medical emergency, a family issue, or another unexpected event can force you to cancel or cut a trip short. With flights, hotels, and match tickets typically paid upfront and non-refundable, the financial exposure on a World Cup trip is significant and needs to be protected 
• Baggage loss and delay: Travelling between multiple FIFA World Cup host cities and countries often involves connecting flights, increasing the risk of lost, delayed, or misrouted baggage. Travel insurance can help cover these kinds of baggage loss or delays

Travel insurance can help address all of these unforeseen events. However, the actual coverage varies depending on whether you are visiting Canada or travelling from Canada to the U.S. or Mexico, as outlined below.

What is not covered under FIFA travel insurance?

While travel insurance can protect you against many unexpected events, there are certain limitations. 

Common exclusions may include:

• Undisclosed pre-existing medical conditions: Expenses related to medical conditions that were not disclosed or that do not meet the insurer’s stability requirements will not be covered
• Match rescheduling or event changes: Standard travel insurance generally does not cover losses if a FIFA match is rescheduled, relocated, or if you choose not to attend (unless you have a CFAR rider)
• Participation in high-risk activities: Certain adventure sports, extreme activities, or professional sporting events may be excluded unless additional coverage is purchased
• Travelling against government advisories: Some insurers may limit or exclude coverage if you travel to a destination that is not advised to travel under a government-issued advisory
• Alcohol- or drug-related incidents: Medical emergencies, accidents, or losses resulting from excessive alcohol consumption or illegal drug use are not covered

Which FIFA World Cup 2026 travel insurance plan is right for you?

The right travel insurance for the FIFA World Cup 2026 depends on where you are travelling from and which host countries you will be visiting.

1. International fans travelling to Canada 

International fans arriving in Toronto or Vancouver should look at visitor to Canada (VTC) insurance, an emergency medical plan built for non-residents. It can also extend to side trips to the United States or Mexico, though conditions vary by insurer.

Key things to know when buying visitor insurance:

• Coverage is for medical emergencies only: Visitor insurance generally does not include trip cancellation or baggage coverage. It is a travel medical insurance policy focused on protecting visitors if something goes wrong with their health while attending any of the matches in Toronto or Vancouver
• Side-trip coverage: If your itinerary includes time in the United States or Mexico in addition to Canada, look for a plan that includes side-trip coverage. Most of the insurers, like Manulife, 21st Century, Travelance, etc., provide side-trip coverage
• Buy before you board: Purchasing before arrival means coverage starts the moment you land. Buying after arrival is possible with most insurers, but usually triggers a waiting period of 48 hours to a few days
• Check the stability period for pre-existing conditions: Coverage for stable pre-existing conditions is available on select plans, but subject to a stability period. Typically, it is 90-180 days for most of the insurers offering medical insurance for visitors to Canada

Visitor to Canada Insurance: How companies compare

Does travel insurance cover a cancelled or rescheduled FIFA match?

Yes, coverage for cancellation or rescheduling of match tickets can be covered under trip interruption coverage. But the reasons for cancelling the tickets must be mentioned in your insurer’s policy wording. 

Can I use one travel insurance policy for Canada, the U.S., and Mexico?

Yes, you can use a single travel insurance policy to get coverage for matches in Canada, the US, and Mexico. Most comprehensive travel insurance policies provide multi-destination coverage.

Is travel insurance mandatory for the FIFA World Cup?

No, but it is strongly recommended because medical treatment and travel disruptions can be costly. A comprehensive travel insurance policy acts as a financial safety net in case unforeseen medical issues or trip delays occur.

Is credit card travel insurance enough for the FIFA World Cup?

No, credit card travel insurance is not always enough. While many credit cards provide travel insurance benefits, coverage limits, trip duration restrictions, and exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions may apply. A standalone travel insurance policy often provides broader coverage and higher benefit limits.

I am buying at the last minute. Can I still get coverage for FIFA travel insurance? 

Yes. Most Canadian insurers offer same-day or next-day activation for emergency medical coverage. However, trip cancellation coverage generally cannot be added after you have already departed, so that window may have passed depending on where you are in your trip.