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What is happening?
In an unexpected irony, the US hospitality industry is facing a real crisis months before the start of the 2026 World Cup (June 11 – July 19), as hotels in host cities record disappointing booking rates, forcing them to slash prices amid fears of a drop in economic revenue from the tournament.
Bookings are lower than expected
A report released Monday by the American Hotel and Lodging Association, which represents more than 30,000 U.S. properties, showed that about 80% of hotels in the 11 American cities hosting the World Cup are suffering from weak demand during the tournament.
The report, reported by The Athletic, was based on 205 responses from hotel operators and owners and showed varying levels of frustration between cities.
– San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia and Boston. More than 70% confirmed that bookings were lower than expected.
– Los Angeles, New York, Houston and Dallas. More than 60% expressed the same concern
– Miami, only 50% reported a decrease in reservations
-Atlanta. Most optimistic, less than 50%
Suspension of investments
Weak demand has led some facilities to “suspend investment” related to World Cup activities, including commercial partnerships and temporary renovations, amid uncertainty.
The drop in bookings also means host cities will not receive the tax revenue promised by FIFA and others, threatening the wider economic impact expected from the tournament.
Domestic travelers overshadow international ones
“Forecasts show that domestic travelers outnumber international travelers, an imbalance that threatens the broader economic impact expected from the tournament,” the report noted.
Doubts about the volume of international travel have been heightened since the failure of the “Fifa Pass,” which Donald Trump’s administration launched in November to speed up visa applications, with only 14,000 people using it as of last weekend, although FIFA confirms more than 5 million tickets have been sold.
Visa barriers and geopolitical concerns
Among the most notable barriers cited by participants were visa issues limiting international demand, general geopolitical concerns, and high transportation costs, especially train fares to get to stadiums in New York and Boston.
New York Hotel Association President Vijay Dandapani said in mid-April. “I can categorically confirm that we haven’t seen a significant increase yet… It is possible that demand will increase, but at this stage it will certainly not be as abundant as FIFA promised.”
Prices have collapsed by more than 40%
As a result, hotels had to drastically reduce prices. A December study of 96 hotels by The Athletic shortly after the draw found the average nightly rate in the days leading up to the opener was $1,013, a 328% increase from $293 for the same stay in late May.
But this significant increase did not last, as an analysis by the newspaper last month showed that by mid-June, prices in 11 US host cities had fallen by more than 40% from their peak a few months earlier.
