With soccer fever set to grip the world in 2026 and anticipation building around Messi’s magical touches, Mbappé’s explosiveness and Ronaldo’s ability to torment opponents with skill and guile, two cruise lines are ensuring their guests won’t miss a single moment of what is arguably the sporting world’s greatest extravaganza.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, and Holland America Line (HAL) and Seabourn have secured rights from IMG to broadcast the tournament live on board, bringing “the spirit of the stadiums to sea next summer.”
With the expanded 48-team spectacle set to capture the imagination of the globe, watching the action unfold from the ship promises to turn a dream vacation into an experience of a lifetime for cruisers.
To be broadcast fleet-wide on Holland America Line’s 11 ships and Seabourn’s three ocean ships, the matches will be available on the cruise lines’ Sport 24 Special Event Channels.
Weighing in on the significance of the tournament and its importance for global cruisers, Seabourn President Mark Tamis commented, “Soccer is the most popular sport across the globe, and the FIFA World Cup is its pinnacle event. We know how important it is for our guests to experience these matches live while traveling to extraordinary destinations on board our ships. This is just one more way we deliver unforgettable moments at sea, where the thrill of global sport meets the elegance of luxury travel.”
Echoing these sentiments, Michael Smith, senior vice president of guest experience and product development, at Holland America Line, said in a statement: “Soccer is the most popular sport across the globe. The FIFA World Cup is the world’s preeminent soccer tournament, and we realize how important it is for our guests to be able to watch it live on our ships. Guests can confidently book their cruise for next summer knowing that if their national or favorite team advances, they will be able to watch the match from the comfort of their stateroom.”
(Holland America Line)
Whether cruising Alaska, Canada and New England, or Europe, Holland America guests will be able to watch the matches live on stateroom televisions. Select marquee matches may also be showcased on the Lido Pool’s big screen or in the immersive World Stage theater on certain ships.
Seabourn guests, too, will be able to watch the matches from the comfort of their suite or from dynamic shipboard settings where fans come together.
Seabourn itineraries during the World Cup period include the seven-day “Turkey & Greek Isle Gems” voyage aboard Seabourn Quest from June 28 to July 4; the 14-day “Jewels of the British Isles” sailing on Seabourn Ovation from June 27 to July 11; the 14-day “Alaska Glaciers, Fjords & Inside Passage” itinerary on Seabourn Encore from June 26 to July 10; and the 21-day “Midsummer Magic: Icelandic & Norwegian Fjords” voyage on Seabourn Ovation from June 6 to June 27.
Select Holland America voyages coinciding with the tournament include the seven-day “Alaska Explorer” aboard Noordam departing July 5, 2026; the 28-day “Legendary Alaska Arctic Circle Solstice” voyage on Noordam departing June 7, 2026; the 14-day “Wild British Isles: Belfast Evening Stay” sailing on Nieuw Statendam departing July 10, 2026; and the seven-day “Norwegian Fjords & Sognefjord” itinerary on Rotterdam departing June 28, 2026.
With what could be the final World Cup appearances for Ronaldo and Messi, and numerous other milestones in the offing, this is expected to be a tournament to remember.
Such special once-in-a-lifetime moments call for exceptional settings, so when asked years from now where you watched history unfold, you can say it was beneath the stars, in front of stars.
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