American Airlines announced Thursday that it is partnering with FIFA for the 2026 World Cup, offering flights and promos to fans and teams during the tournament.
The partnership is with Qatar Airways, American’s Oneworld alliance partner. American said it is also offering members of its loyalty program the chance to win tickets to the World Cup. Through the partnership with Qatar, American said it would retain exclusive flight rights with FIFA until 2030.
Sports partnerships are common for airlines because it allows them to build customer loyalty among fans of a team, player, or league. Emirates inked a high-profile partnership with the National Basketball Association last year to rename the league’s in-season tournament as the “Emirates NBA Cup.” Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady has a partnership with Delta Air Lines, where he serves as a “strategic advisor.”
These partnerships are also lucrative for airlines. The global sports industry generates revenues as high as $2.65 trillion, according to a report from the Global Institute of Sport. FIFA reported revenues of $483 million in 2024.
Is the U.S. Prepared for the World Cup?
However, American’s partnership with FIFA comes as trade groups are sounding the alarm on the U.S. preparedness for the 2026 World Cup.
A report from the U.S. Travel Association found that the U.S. could miss out on billions in tourism revenue unless it modernizes travel infrastructure. The report called on the U.S. to reduce visa wait times and implement biometric systems at customs in airports across the country within two years.
There have also been increased concerns about hosting the event as the Trump administration applies more scrutiny to visas. Multiple outlets have reported that tourists on visas in the U.S. have been detained at customs.
The State Department said in a post last month on X that demand to visit the U.S. for the World Cup was at “all-time high.” The post added: “We screen every visa applicant thoroughly to uphold the highest standards of national security and public safety. Anyone who will need a visa to travel to #FIFAWorldCup should apply early.”
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March that establishes a task force to support preparations for the World Cup.
The World Cup is scheduled to take place in 2026 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Despite rising tensions among the three countries, experts expect that they won’t have an impact on World Cup attendance, according to a report from the Associated Press.
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