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Hospitality Booking Performance vs. Forecasts
Percentage of hotels reporting booking volumes relative to initial industry forecasts for the 2026 World Cup.
Primary Sources
Low US hotel bookings paint grim hospitality picture at the World Cup
Report says several factors, including visa barriers and geopolitical concerns, are to be blamed for low booking numbers.Hotel reservations in the United States, associated with the World Cup, are falling far short of industry expectations, a business group has said, with five weeks to go until football’s flagship tournament.The observation is based on results, released on Monday, from the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) survey of its members in the 11 US metropolitan areas that will host FIFA World Cup matches, from New York to Los Angeles.Eighty percent of respondents reported hotel bookings were tracking below initial forecasts. And about 65 percent of the total respondents cited visa barriers and broader geopolitical concerns as issues suppressing demand.“A range of factors have tempered early optimism, though forward indicators show there is still meaningful opportunity ahead,” said AHLA President Rosanna Maietta.“To fully realise that potential, the US and FIFA must ensure a welcoming and seamless experience for international travellers.”The US is cohosting the tournament alongside Mexico and Canada, with the first match kicking off on June 11 in Mexico City. The final will be played in New Jersey on July 19.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 US.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, as well as transport 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”.
Hotels warn World Cup bookings are far below expectations : NPR
General view of Arrowhead Stadium, in Kansas City, Missouri, which will be hosting some of the World Cup matches this summer. Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America hide caption toggle caption Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America With only six weeks to go before the start of the World Cup, hotels at most of the cities hosting the tournament are facing a major problem: Bookings are running far below what they had expected. For some metro areas such as Kansas City, bookings are running even below what a typical June or July would bring, according to an industry survey released on Monday by the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The report was conducted last month and a spokesperson said it's based on 205 respondents "representing hotel operators and owners, many of whom own multiple hotel portfolios across the country and across multiple World Cup markets." AHLA said the disappointing bookings stem from fewer than expected international travelers and large cancellations by FIFA — the organizer of the World Cup — leaving hotels with an unexpectedly large number of empty rooms. "Despite more than 5 million tickets sold (for World Cup matches), this demand has not yet translated into strong hotel bookings," the AHLA said in the report. The disappointment comes after the hotel industry was bracing for a strong summer in 2026. The World Cup is taking place across the U.S., Canada and Mexico — with 11 U.S. cities hosting games. In addition, the U.S. is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which was also expected to bring an influx of foreign visitors. Overseas visitors are critical to the hotel industry, the AHLA says, because they tend to spend more — and stay longer. But the AHLA warned nearly 80% of hotel bookings across host cities are running below initial forecasts, according to its survey. In Kansas City, 85% to 90% of hotels reported bookings below projections. World Cup organizers in Kansas City pushed back to the survey, telling The Athletic that embassy staff in countries such as the Netherlands are deploying additional staff to the city in anticipation of a high number of visitors. An tournament organizers in the city still stand by their ambitious projection to attract 650,000 visitors over the course of the World Cup, CEO of Visit KC and the Kansas City Sports Commission, Kathy Nelson, told KCUR in an interview. KC26, the host committee, did not immediately reply to a request for comment...
How World Cup 2026 Hotel Bookings Are Falling Short of Expectations
The American Hotel & Lodging Association reports that 80% of hoteliers say bookings for the 2026 World Cup are below expectations, largely due to FIFA room block cancellations, international travel barriers, and rising costs.
2026 World Cup tourism impact: Hotel bookings slow, per report - USA TODAY
A new report has suggested that the 2026 World Cup is not provided the boost to the hotel industry that was expected.
