Ahead of the World Cup, Hotel Reservations in the US Are Far Below Expectations

NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY — Until about a month before the opening of the 2026 World Cup, hotel room bookings in the United States have turned out to be far below expectations. Visa barriers and concerns over geopolitical conflicts are among the reasons that are suppressing hotel demand.

The report was obtained from a survey conducted by the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) among its members in 11 metropolitan areas in the United States that will host the World Cup, which was released on Monday (4/5/2026). A total of 11 cities in the United States will host World Cup matches along with five other cities in Canada and Mexico.

The cities in the US include New Jersey, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, and Atlanta. The 2026 World Cup will be opened in Mexico City, Mexico, on June 11, 2026, featuring the host nation against South Africa. The final match will be held in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.

The 2026 World Cup will be the largest event in the history of this sports tournament. For the first time, the number of participants has increased to 48 teams, up from the previous 32 teams. The total number of matches, from the group stage to the final, will reach 104 games.

As many as 80 percent of respondents reported that hotel bookings were below initial estimates. Approximately 65 percent of the total respondents cited visa obstacles and concerns over broader geopolitical conflicts as issues that are suppressing room demand. "To truly realize that potential, the US and FIFA must ensure a friendly and smooth experience for international visitors," added Maietta.

Although President Donald Trump often boasts about the United States' status as the host of the grand event, several policies from Washington have the potential to complicate the visit of team supporters to the U.S. These policies include travel bans against certain countries and stricter visa regulations for visiting the U.S.

The Trump administration did indeed attempt to assure FIFA that they would facilitate World Cup ticket holders in obtaining visas, but each applicant would face stringent scrutiny. Several supporter groups also expressed concerns about the high ticket prices and the exorbitant accommodation price hikes.

One of them is the increase in transportation costs for trains in New Jersey, which has surged by nearly 1,200 percent from the normal fare for supporters wishing to attend the match at MetLife Stadium. NJ Transit, the public transportation operator in the New Jersey-New York area, will implement a fare of 150 US dollars (approximately 2.6 million IDR) for round-trip trains from Manhattan to MetLife Stadium. The normal fare is usually only 12.9 US dollars (approximately 221,673 IDR).

Respondents of the AHLA survey, released as part of the organization's "FIFA World Cup 2026 Hotel Outlook," describe a bleak situation ahead of the tournament. In Kansas City, bookings to date have been reported to be significantly below expectations, even falling below the normal levels for June and July.

In Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle, many respondents described the World Cup as not being a special event. Hotel managers also reported that large room bookings by FIFA, many of which were later canceled, created a false early demand signal.

"When hotels face fragmented demand issues and ongoing uncertainty, many are readjusting their strategies or postponing investments specifically for the World Cup, brand partnerships, and temporary renovations," stated one part of the AHLA report.

In response to the report, FIFA stated that the release of the room was carried out "in accordance with the timeline agreed upon in the contract" and referred to it as "standard practice" for large-scale sporting events.

FIFA "maintains consistent discussions with hotel stakeholders," said a spokesperson to AFP, adding that the global demand for this World Cup "has never been seen before, with over five million tickets sold." (AFP)