Rating All 16 European World Cup 2026 Nations: Best & Worst Reasons to Visit | w/ Matt Walker

This man saw a soccer match in every UEFA country in a single season. Now he joins us to break down World Cup 2026's European nations — country by country. When World Cup 2026 reaches its knockout rounds in North America, the Footy Travelers are heading to Europe to watch with the fans at home. But where should they go—and where should they avoid? In this episode, Colin sits down with Matt Walker, author of Europe United—and the only person to attend a football match in all 55 UEFA nations in a single season—to build the ultimate travel guide for the 16 European countries headed to World Cup 2026. From Turkey's first World Cup since 2002 to Scotland's biggest tournament in a generation. From Madrid's late-night culture to Istanbul's stunning skyline. From Ryanair's secret reliability to which European budget airline you should actually avoid. Every reason to consider every possibility. This is the only World Cup 2026 European travel guide you'll need. ✈️ Travel with us in 2026-27 → footytravelers.com/trips 📬 Get our monthly newsletter → newsletter.footytravelers.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram →   / footytravelers   📘 Get Matt's book → Europe United (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Europe-Unite...) 🌍 Follow Matt's ongoing quest → 55footballnations.com 00:00 – Welcome to The Footy Travelers Podcast 01:07 – Why Matt set out to see a game in all 55 UEFA nations 03:30 – How much planning vs. spontaneity is the right balance? 05:34 – The worst match he saw (and how he forced his way in) 06:55 – Richest football culture in World Cup 2026 Europe: Turkey or Scotland? 09:37 – The country with surprisingly weak football culture 13:19 – Best non-European country for football culture (Brazil vs. Argentina) 15:06 – Should you add Morocco to your World Cup 2026 trip? 16:29 – Where to eat in Europe if your match plans fall through 19:18 – Which Spanish cities to AVOID for World Cup matches 21:44 – Where you'll struggle most as an English speaker 22:33 – The national anthem you should learn before going 23:51 – RAPID FIRE: Best & worst reason to visit all 16 European World Cup nations • 24:46 Sweden • 26:02 Norway • 26:51 Scotland • 27:36 England • 28:14 Portugal • 29:36 Spain • 30:12 France • 31:02 Belgium • 32:08 Netherlands • 33:30 Germany • 35:47 Switzerland • 37:20 Austria • 38:17 Czechia • 39:24 Croatia • 41:03 Bosnia & Herzegovina • 42:06 Turkey 49:07 – Ranking the 5 European budget airlines: Ryanair, Wizz, EasyJet, Eurowings, Vueling 52:48 – Final thoughts and how to follow Matt's footy travels