The World Cup Starts Next Month — but 80% of U.S. Hotels Say Bookings Aren't Where They Expected
An AHLA report finds most U.S. hoteliers are seeing below-forecast bookings for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with visa barriers, room cancellations, and a strong dollar dampening international demand.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just weeks away, an American Hotel and Lodging Association report has found that nearly 80 percent of U.S. hoteliers report bookings are tracking below initial forecasts across the 11 host markets surveyed.
The findings paint a complicated picture for an event that was expected to deliver a massive windfall for the hospitality industry. More than 5 million tickets have been sold for the tournament, which kicks off in June across cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. But demand from international travelers, who typically spend significantly more than domestic visitors, has been suppressed by visa barriers, geopolitical tensions, and a strong U.S. dollar that makes the country a more expensive destination compared to past tournaments.
FIFA's own room block cancellations have compounded the problem. The organization scrapped roughly 2,000 contracted room nights in Philadelphia alone, with similar pullbacks hitting all 16 host markets. Rising labor costs, insurance premiums, and utility expenses are adding further pressure on hotel operators.
The pain is not evenly distributed. Kansas City emerged as the most negatively impacted market, with 85 to 90 percent of surveyed hoteliers reporting booking pace below expectations. Los Angeles, New York City, Dallas, and Houston are also seeing softer-than-expected demand, with bookings tracking closer to a typical summer than a global sporting event.
Miami stands out as the lone bright spot, with more than half of respondents reporting bookings ahead of expectations and normal summer benchmarks. Markets with confirmed team basecamps or strong baseline leisure demand are also seeing some incremental lift.
AHLA President Rosanna Maietta warned that proposed last-minute tax hikes in host cities like New Jersey and Philadelphia could further dampen demand, calling the surge-taxing approach short-sighted. The association is pushing for smoother visa processing and lower transportation costs to help attract the international visitors the tournament needs to deliver on its economic promise.