The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to drive a surge in mobile connectivity demand across the US. Due to high international roaming costs, many visitors may look to purchase a local or travel eSIM to use whilst in the US in order to stay connected while away from home.
This report evaluates how effectively providers support international users looking to purchase a prepaid plan to use with an eSIM compatible phone:
- Reviews the end-to-end journey from plan discovery to activation
- Compares the experience the major US carriers, top US MVNOs, and leading travel eSIM providers, from the perspective of someone looking to travel to the US
- Identifies friction points, gaps, and areas of inconsistency
- Highlights patterns that support clearer, more efficient user flows


