World Cup 2026 American road trip: A brilliant way to watch England and avoid sky high prices
Follow Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions at this summer’s World Cup with a unique Miami-Dallas RV road trip
England's solitary star on their shirt signifies their only World Cup triumph way back in 1966.
Despite a few valiant attempts, the Three Lions have since fallen short and will kick-off their latest campaign in the aptly-named Lone Star state of Texas this summer.
Thomas Tuchel's men start their Group L fixtures in Dallas at the AT&T Stadium on June 17 against Croatia. They then face Ghana at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on June 23, before completing their group stage against Panama on June 27 at the MetLife Stadium near Manhattan.
Prior to the serious action, England base themselves in South Florida and have two tune-up matches against New Zealand on June 6 and Costa Rica on June 10.
Many issues surround this tournament from political situations and global conflicts, to inflated ticket and travel costs. Despite this, thousands will land in America for the quadrennial competition – the largest and most watched sporting event on the planet. So here's a cost-effective option that will get you close to the action and provide a unique roadsurfer American road trip adventure along the way. It’s simply one of the best experiences and trips I have had.
A roadsurfer RV is the way to go
A friend and I decided to embark on a pre-World Cup reconnaissance mission to see what fans can expect. The first thing that hits you at Dallas Fort Worth Airport is the heat. It was 27 degrees as we touched down and it's expected to be well into the 30s come June.
The Uber driver was all across the World Cup. His grandson is a keen "soccer player" and he said the Americans are ready "to put on a show". After 15 minutes, he dropped us at the roadsurfer's Dallas depot and said, "Y'all get some Texas BBQ while you're here." We took his advice and it didn’t disappoint.
But back to the job in hand and picking up the RV (recreational vehicle) from Dallas was easy.
What's the RV like?
We received a run through on the dos and don'ts. Basically, don't crash and keep the toilet clean! roadsurfer have a range of RVs and we went for the Family Freedom, which sleeps five – that would be snug – but it offered plenty of space for the two of us. It's a stick-shift automatic and once you figure out where the hidden handbrake is, it's pretty easy to drive (it's by your left knee!).
The main thing to remember is the cable for the electric and the hose for the water. Both are very simple to hook-up at each RV park, you just connect to the supply on your pitch and you have full power and water. We used the gas hob to boil water for the morning coffee. There’s a fridge, sink and plenty of storage.
My bed above the driving area was perfectly comfortable and had a window and a sky light to gaze at the stars before drifting off. My friend had a double at the back of the van and I could tell from his snoring, his bed was comfortable too.
Each rental comes with unlimited mileage, a free second driver and flexible booking and cancellation. Every model is ready to go and includes a camping table and chairs and essential accessories. There is 24/7 breakdown as well as digital customer service options.
Our route: Dallas to Miami
Our rough plan was to start at Dallas – the location of England’s first group match – then work our way to Miami and stop-off at places that piqued our interest. Doing it in reverse from Miami to Dallas would also work well if you wanted to catch England’s pre-tournament action, before taking in their opener against Croatia at the AT&T Stadium.
We went via the Stockyards at Fort Worth and then a lively stop at Austin. The soulful and eclectic New Orleans was next before heading east along the 'Gulf of America' coast to the sandy beaches of Destin and Panama City Beach. We reached Jacksonville and the road then took us south via Palm Valley Beach, St Augustine, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach and a quick detour inland to play some golf at the Jack Nicklaus Reunion Golf Course near Kissimmee. We motored on to the final destination of Miami, via West Palm beach and the beautifully named Jupiter Island – unfortunately the scene of Tiger Woods’ latest car crash.
It’s impossible to pick a highlight but seeing Artemis II at the Kennedy Space Centre just before launch was a special moment. Austin and New Orleans were the pick of the cities and then some of the unspoilt beaches along the east coast of Florida simply blow you away. Particularly those on the stretch between Palm Valley and St Augustine. Beautiful!
The AT&T Stadium and Texas Live: England v Croatia
The Koa Dallas Arlington RV park is 20 minutes away from the AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. We parked and picked up supplies at the massive Walmart, which is right next door – but don’t leave the van there on a match day or you’ll be towed away. An Uber or a bike ride from the RV park is the best option. The stadium itself is a fitting venue to host the opener. It has a listed capacity of 80,000 but can be reconfigured to host 100,000 and is often referred to as Jerry World, after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. It has a retractable roof and the fully air-conditioned arena will be a blessing for the England players amid the Texas summer heat. It is said to be the world's largest air-conditioned space.
“Go big or go home” is a phrase you often hear in Texas and Texas Live takes it to the extreme. It’s a massive, $250million hospitality facility which sits between the AT&T and the Texas Rangers' Globe Life Field. It has more than 200,000 square feet of restaurants, bars and dining areas and an outdoor 5,000-person outdoor concert venue.
Think of the biggest sports bar you’ve seen and double, triple or quadruple it. Watching England on the 100-foot LED screen, while indulging in some Texan food, is a seriously good alternative for fans. There’s a strong argument that this might be a better way to watch, especially if the stadium prices are too crazy.
We jumped on a shared table at Texas Live, ordered some nachos (massive!) and chatted to the Texans and they truly love their sport. They complained about the Dallas Cowboys – they have not won a Superbowl for more than 30 years – but the World Cup is a big deal for them. They genuinely want visiting fans to enjoy their state and their hospitality.
Harry Kane monument in Dallas?
We also met monument builder Steve Barber at AT&T Stadium. The man behind the inaugural Donald Trump monument spoke with bold conviction about legacy and spectacle. With a grin, he vowed to build a statue of Harry Kane if the Three Lions go all the way and emerge from a Lone Star team. He sounded half-serious, half showmanship—but entirely possible. If England win, don’t be surprised to see bronze rise where history was made.
Miami
The ‘Magic City’ was our final destination and perhaps a place where England fans will fly into. The Miami roadsurfer depot is just 15 minutes from the international airport and England’s warm-ups – against New Zealand at the Raymond James Stadium, Tampa and Costa Rica at the Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando – are about a three-and-a-half hour drive north. Inter Miami’s brand new Nu Stadium finally opened last week as the 26,700 capacity facility saw David Beckham’s club draw 2-2 with Austin. Miami’s star players Leo Messi and Luis Suárez scored in the opening fixture. The Nu Stadium also features the Leo Messi Stand. Miami beach itself is well worth a visit as is the Art Deco district and the "Miami Tropical Deco" section of South Beach.
Conclusion
America is well set-up for the RV experience. The roads are wide, easy to navigate and the RV parks are impressive – Geronimo RV Park Destin, Jupiter Hills State Park and North Beach Camp Resort Florida were especially good.
With high ticket, travel and hotel prices, roadsurfer is a fantastic option and a great way to experience the Three Lions at the World Cup this summer. And who knows, they may finally add to that lone star on the shirt. But, even if England are terrible, the road trip will provide memories for a lifetime. I’m already planning my next one!
Where we stayed
The RV was provided by roadsurfer. A Family Freedom can be rented from £97/night. roadsurfer has a modern fleet of campervans available across nine stations in the US. For more information, visit: https://roadsurfer.com/uk.
RV Parks: Dallas Arlington KOA Holiday RV Park, Pecan Grove Austin RV Park, New Orleans RV Resort and Marina, Geronimo RV Park Destin, North Beach Camp Resort, Jetty Park Beach Campsite, Koa Orlando South West and Jupiter Hills State Park.
Hints and tips
It’s always best to book the RV parks in advance. These website are particularly useful: koa.com and nationalps.gov. Petrol prices are rising but they remain much cheaper than the UK. The average price in Texas is approximately $3.804 per gallon. Safe travels!