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.
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the most rewarding options for earning cash back in categories such as entertainment and dining without paying an annual fee. Plus, you can combine its rewards with Capital One’s travel cards to convert them into transferable miles.
- One of the most rewarding cash back cards for entertainment and streaming services
- No annual fee
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- High APR
- Requires a good to excellent credit score
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- For a limited time, earn a one-time $250 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months; 18.74% – 28.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- Top rated mobile app
Introductory fee of 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account during the first 12 months that your account is open. After that, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that we may offer you at any other time.
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.
While the NFL Extra Points Visa® Credit Card really only makes sense for the most dedicated of NFL fans, it does offer a strong way to save on most of your NFL purchases.
- Has a $0 annual fee
- Earn 20% off your NFLShop.com purchases
- Offers special financing for NFL tickets
- Doesn’t earn strong rewards on non-NFL purchases
- Heavy focus on in-person events
- Poor redemption rates on rewards
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.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections, flexible rewards and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- Annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 – a value of $156.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
- Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Member FDIC
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
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.
The American Express Platinum Card® is a premium card loaded with annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access, elite status perks and more. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Access to 1,550+ airport lounges, including Priority Pass™ lounges (enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
- Statement credit offers worth up to twice what the annual fee costs
- Elite status perks for hotels and rental cars (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High annual fee
- Many statement credit offers are complicated and are earned in increments or limited to specific purchases
- Not as rewarding for purchases as other lower-fee travel cards
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- With over 1,550 airport lounges – more than any other credit card company on the market* – enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges.* As of 07/2025.
- $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
- $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to make eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you.
- $209 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®.* Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- Whenever you need us, we’re here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
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.
The Citi Strata℠ Card is a solid rewards credit card that earns in several everyday spending categories, with no annual fee.
- No annual fee
- Customizable earnings category
- Earns transferable rewards
- Has foreign transaction fees
- Fewer built-in benefits
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff
- Earn 20,000 bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% – 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
- Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel® via cititravel.com; earn 3 ThankYou Points for each $1 spent at Supermarkets, on Select Transit purchases, and at Gas & EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 2 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent at Restaurants; earn 1 ThankYou® Point for each $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- No Annual Fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Best for purchasing resale tickets
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.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with luxury perks including, hotel credits, complimentary hotel elite status, travel credits, dining credits, rideshare and delivery benefits and much more.
- Access Priority Pass lounges, including unlimited access to Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club locations.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
- Complicated list of benefits
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Music for a minimum of one year when activated by June 22, 2027, a value of $288 annually.
- Member FDIC
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
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.
- Rewarding and versatile quarterly bonus categories
- Generous intro-APR offer
- Quarterly limits on the card’s top bonus spending categories
- No statement credit offers or other ongoing benefits outside of the cash rewards
FAQs
Which credit card is the best for sports tickets?
The best card depends on what perks you’re looking for, whether it’s heightened rewards, behind-the-scenes access or premium experiences, and the annual fee you’re willing to pay. For example, the Capital One Savor is ideal for those who want simple cash back rewards on tickets and other entertainment experiences but don’t want to pay an annual fee.
Do any credit cards offer statement credits for sports tickets?
Many credit cards may offer statement credits that let you purchase tickets through a third party. For example, the Sapphire Reserve comes with a StubHub credit, and the Citi Strata Elite offers a Splurge Credit, which includes Live Nation.
Which credit card offers the best exclusive access at events?
For many mainstream sports, Chase and American Express credit cards offer some of the best benefits through their experience portals. Perks can include access to hard-to-get presale tickets, VIP packages and more.
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card list review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit card for sports fans.
To determine which cards offer the best value for sports fans, CNBC Select analyzed 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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Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.