Best credit cards for sports fans in 2026: Score presale tickets, earn rewards on merch and more

As the summer of soccer sweeps across the United States, using the right card could save you hundreds on your next game — especially as consumer spending on spectator sports has risen 25% since 2019, according to an August 2025 report from Bank of America.

Below, CNBC Select analyzed some of the best credit cards for sports fans looking to earn rewards, as well as some lesser-known perks that come with them.

Who’s this for? If you’re a sports fan but want a low-fee, versatile card, the no-annual-fee Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card earns 3% cash back on entertainment purchases (and an even higher 8% back on entertainment purchases through Capital One Entertainment). Entertainment covers a wide range of purchases, from amusement parks to professional or semi-professional live sporting events.

Other great perks: If you’re looking to buy more expensive tickets, this card also features an intro APR for 12 months on purchases, so you can pay it off over the course of a year with no interest. On top of rewards on entertainment, you’ll also earn 3% back at grocery stores and on dining and popular streaming services.

Who’s this for? Die-hard NFL fans who purchase a lot of tickets or gear should consider the NFL Extra Points Visa® Credit Card. This card earns 3% in rewards on qualifying NFL and NFL team purchases, including purchases on NFLShop.com and tickets purchased through NFL Team Ticket Offices, Ticketmaster, SeatGeek and Sports Illustrated.

Other great perks: When you spend $250 or more on tickets through one of the avenues listed above, you can get access to special financing. Rewards are redeemable for gift cards, tickets, NFL experiences, merch and more, and you can get 20% off every NFLShop.com purchase made with the card with code EXTRAPOINTS.

Who’s this for? If you’re traveling for a sporting event, whether it’s in a different city or country, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has you covered. You’ll earn 5X points on Chase Travel℠ purchases and 2X points on all other travel.

Other great perks: The Sapphire Preferred comes with a $100 credit for hotels booked via Chase Travel, plus $120 every four years to cover a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee credit. You’ll also be covered by a heap of travel protections, including trip delay reimbursement and primary rental car insurance.

Who’s this for? The American Express Platinum Card® comes with access to Amex Experiences, which gets you special access to presale, reserved and preferred tickets. Plus, Amex Experiences comes with event perks like dedicated entrances and checkout lanes and benefits at American Express Venue Collection^™venues — from the Barclays Center in New York City to the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Other great perks: At select stadiums, cardholders can enroll and earn 10% back on qualifying concession purchases (up to $250 in statement credits per calendar year). Platinum cardmembers also get access to American Express Concierge, which can help you book harder-to-get tickets for sporting events. For the events you prefer watching at home, the card comes with a $300 digital entertainment credit (up to $25 in statement credits each month) (enrollment required).

Pro tip

For NBA fans, American Express has a special Amex Jersey Assurance™ program. If you buy an active player’s jersey from fanatics.com, www.store.NBA.com or the NBA Flagship Store in NYC, and they change teams within a year, you can qualify for a free replacement jersey.

Who’s this for? If you enjoy more events than just sporting games, the Citi Strata℠ Card offers a flexible way to earn unlimited rewards on live entertainment. Earn 3X points on one self-select category of your choice — which includes live entertainment. The category covers all kinds of purchases, from live sporting events to concerts.

Other great perks: As a cardholder, you’ll get access to Citi Entertainment, where you can purchase presale tickets, book Citi VIP Packages, like a Texas Rangers VIP Suite Experience, and more. The card also comes with a low intro APR on purchases, which can help you pay off an expensive ticket over time, sans interest.

Who’s this for? The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with up to $300 in StubHub and viagogo credits each year, or up to $150 semiannually through Dec. 31, 2027 (activation required). These platforms help you sell tickets and purchase resale tickets to different types of events, including sporting events.

Other great perks: The Sapphire Reserve also comes with a variety of perks that can help you travel to and from the game. Get extensive airport lounge access, Lyft rideshare perks, up to a $250 credit for select Chase Travel Hotel stays (of two nights or more, made before Dec. 31, 2026) and more.

Who’s this for? If you’re looking to buy sports gear for yourself or for a sports enthusiast in your life, the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature earns 5% cash back on two categories you choose, up to the first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter. Of the 12 categories available, you can choose sporting goods (which count purchases made on MLB.com), department stores and select clothing stores.

Other great perks: This no-annual-fee card also earns cash back on either gas stations/EV charging, restaurants or grocery stores, and you can take advantage of an intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers.

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To determine which cardsoffer the best value for sports fans,CNBC Selectanalyzed over 250 major credit cards issued by FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions.

We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back).

When choosing the best credit cards for sports fans, we focused on cards that offered premium experiences to sporting events, unique access to sporting experiences, rewards earned on sports and entertainment purchases and more. We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.

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