World Cup Hotel Reservations Fall Short of Expectations

Hotel bookings across the United States linked to the upcoming World Cup are significantly below what the industry anticipated, according to a recent statement from a business organization. This comes as the countdown to the premier football event reaches just over a month.

The American Hotel and Lodging Association recently conducted a survey among its members in the 11 US cities set to host FIFA World Cup matches. These cities range from New York to Los Angeles, and the findings were made public on Tuesday AEST.

According to the survey, 80% of participants indicated that hotel reservations are not meeting initial expectations. Additionally, about 65% of respondents pointed to issues such as visa complications and global political tensions as reasons for the lower demand.

AHLA President Rosanna Maietta remarked, “A variety of factors have dampened our early enthusiasm, but indicators suggest there remains a significant opportunity moving forward.”

She emphasized the importance of both the US and FIFA working together to provide a welcoming and smooth experience for international visitors to fully capitalize on this potential.

The United States is co-hosting the tournament alongside Mexico and Canada, with the first match kicking off on 11 June in Mexico City. The final will be played in New Jersey on 19 July.

US President Donald Trump has frequently touted the country’s host status for world football’s centrepiece event, but he has also launched a wide-ranging crackdown on visas for visitors to the United States.

The Trump administration has assured FIFA that it will facilitate ticket holders with visas, but that every applicant will still face strict vetting.

Fan groups have also expressed concerns about high ticket prices and price gouging on the secondary market, and about transportation costs associated with attending matches.

Respondents to the AHLA survey, released as part of the organisation’s “FIFA World Cup 2026 Hotel Outlook”, painted a grim picture for the industry.

In Kansas City, bookings were so far below expectations that they lagged below normal rates for June and July.

In Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle, many respondents described the tournament “as a ‘non-event’”, the report said.

Hoteliers also reported that mass room bookings by FIFA, many of which have since been cancelled, had “created an artificial early demand signal”.

“As hotels face a fragmented demand environment and ongoing uncertainty, many are recalibrating strategies or pausing investments in World Cup-specific activations, brand partnerships, and temporary renovations,” the report said.

Responding to the report, FIFA said the room releases were conducted “in line with contractually agreed timelines” and called this “standard practice” for large-scale sports events.

FIFA “maintained consistent discussions with hotel stakeholders,” a spokesperson told Agence France-Presse, adding that global demand for this year’s World Cup was “unprecedented, with more than five million tickets sold”.

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