June is coming. Mid-July. That window is small. The FIFA World Cup 2024 isn’t happening in one country this time. It is coming home. Or at least, it’s coming to the US, Canada, and Mexico. Forty-eight nations. Sixteen host cities.
If you are watching from the couch, that’s fine. But if you are moving bodies, buying jerseys, or ordering enough wings to feed a small village, you are spending money.
Why not make it work for you?
Bank of America just launched BofA Rewards. It doesn’t ask you to drop a fortune in the bank to start. No minimum balance. Just your everyday spending. Travel, food, gear. All of it.
Here is how to stop just paying bills and start stacking rewards for the tournament.
Stack everything
The easiest money is the kind people forget to pick up.
Look at what you are buying. A flight? A hotel? Jersey from a retailer? These places have loyalty programs. They beg you to join them. Do it.
Before you click “book” or “checkout,” sign up for their rewards. Airlines want your frequent flyer number. Hotels want their membership ID. Retailers want your email for points.
This is called double-dipping. Some might even call it triple-dipping if you layer in credit card points on top of the brand’s own perks. You were going to make the purchase anyway. The points are free.
Hosting at home? Still counts. Groceries have apps. Delivery apps have rewards. Even that dive bar you love for kickoff probably has a way to punch a card or track visits for discounts. Check.
These brand-specific points add up. They form the base layer of your strategy. Don’t skip it. It’s lazy not to.
Pick the right tool
You wouldn’t use a hammer to drive a screw. Don’t use a random credit card for everything.
World Cup spending is specific. Travel. Dining. Online shopping.
Find a Bank of America credit card that lets you choose your bonus category. Match it to where the money is leaving your account. If you are buying flights, set that category. If it’s fan gear, pick online shopping.
Select eligible cards let you customize this. New cardholders get extra juice for the first year too. Pay attention.
It’s simple. Use the card that pays most for the specific things you buy. That is how you win.
Let the program layer on
Here is the engine. The BofA Rewards program itself.
This sits on top of everything else. It acts like a multiplier. You buy something, you earn the standard credit card reward. Then, if you have BofA Rewards, you get an extra bonus on that reward.
The bonus depends on your tier.
Member tier: 10% boost
Preferred Plus: 25% boost
Preferred Honors: 50% boost
Premier: 75% boost
A $100 purchase earning 3% cash back? Normally you get $3. With the Member boost, it’s $3.30. At Premier level, that $100 transaction turns into $5.25 in rewards.
You didn’t work harder. You didn’t spend more. The money just got smarter.
Beyond that multiplier, there is a “Deals” platform. Over 15,000 brands offer extra cash back here. Local restaurants. Travel sites. Fan gear stores. Can’t decide where to eat while the game is on? Check the deals first. You might save $20 just by clicking a link.
Higher tiers unlock other toys too. Free ATM withdrawals. SiriusXM credits so you can listen to play-by-play on your commute. Lifestyle perks for food, wine, arts.
One question remains. Are you really just going to watch the World Cup? Or are you going to plan the experience?
The fine print matters
No minimum balance to enter the Member tier. That is the big hook. You join, you play.
But tiers are determined by your combined average balance across qualifying Bank of America accounts (checking and investment).
- Member : $0
- Preferred Plus : $30,000
- Preferred Honors : $100,001
- Premier : $1,0000,00+
They check this on the third business day of every month. If your balance qualifies, they bump you up. Benefits take effect within 30 days.
The bonus applies after the base rewards are calculated. It doesn’t cover account opening bonuses. It doesn’t cover non-standard rewards unless stated otherwise. Read your Program Rules.
This isn’t academic theory. It’s a game plan.
You can sit on the sidelines and let your money evaporate. Or you can step onto the pitch.
The World Cup passes. The rewards? They stick.
If you want to see where you stand, or what tier you might qualify for, the site has the calculator. Go there. Check your numbers.
Bank of America N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC. The rules apply. The clock is ticking.
