The FIFA World Cup 2026, like Super Bowl LX, is your day, a day dedicated to all of you. It is happening in tri-countries: Canada, Mexico, and USA.
And, it’s not a small-time event. Reuters estimates that the number of foreign visitors to flock into the United States is around a million to six million. Also, 11 cities will be hosting the football matches in June and July.
Thus, Uber is quick to think on its feet to save the experience of this crowd, ensuring no hassles happen along the way.
Uber is planning to install payment kiosks in not just airports, but also hotels and ports. These kiosks shall enable visitors to book and pay for rides even if they don’t have the Uber app or a local data plan in and for their gadgets.
Actually, this initiative is already rolling. The first payment kiosk was installed at LaGuardia Airport in New York City last December.
Just like the official Uber app, the kiosk asks the person for their destination and ride preference. The kiosk accepts credit card payments, printing a receipt for the Uber driver to scan. Uber told Ridesharing Forum that more kiosks will be installed in other cities as the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches.
This will be done in partnership with Ayden, a global financial technology platform. Yesterday, an expanded partnership was announced, adding new services in the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and the Caribbean, and expanding in Japan, Mexico, and so much more.
“You have a lot of folks from Asia coming over for the World Cup in Canada, [the United States], and Mexico, who will be taking advantage of WeChat Pay,” stated Trevor Nies, Ayden’s senior deputy and the global head of digital.
Ayden is also improving the experience of the billions of users of WeChat Pay, a China-based mobile payment system, to pay for their Uber ride in the United States.
As for the preparations, it’s been headstrong. Cities have been preparing tirelessly for the FIFA World Cup 2026 by addressing public safety and cybersecurity issues.
In fact, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority published a playbook for transit agencies “serve as a guide for elected officials and host committees to help them understand the critical transportation practices that will need to be deployed to make their event world-class.”
Uber’s goal for these payment kiosks is for them to “make payments frictionless for the end user, and that’s where they lean on to us to help them partner and co-develop their designs on how they implement that.”
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the biggest, the grandest edition of the highly-anticipated soccer event, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is slated to feature 48 teams, expanding global representation and competitiveness. Matches will be played across multiple cities, showcasing diverse cultures and stadiums. The expanded format increases total games, offers more opportunities for emerging nations, and aims to deliver a truly global football celebration.