World Cup 2026: Impact on Short-Term Rentals and Attendance Insights

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is already affecting the short-term rental market, with varied impacts on host cities. Some cities are experiencing a significant increase in demand, while others see little change.

Demand Fluctuations in Host Cities

AirDNA, an analytics platform for the short-term rental market, reports that cities like Dallas are seeing a spike in bookings on platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo. In contrast, cities like New York show muted interest with below-average demand.

Top Cities Experiencing Boosted Demand

AirDNA has been tracking rental bookings in host and nearby cities, offering weekly demand updates as matches approach. Although some games are still days or weeks away, businesses note a trend of last-minute bookings.

Kansas City, hosting multiple games, sees the highest surge with a 49% increase compared to the previous year. The June 16 match between Argentina and Algeria alone resulted in an 83% jump.

In Texas, Dallas and Fort Worth see increases of 27% and 45% respectively. Miami also observes a 40% rise, indicating a pattern among cities already popular with tourists. These increases suggest the World Cup is amplifying existing tourism trends.

Despite global popularity, New York experiences a 5% decline in demand. This dip occurs as it serves as a major hub for the games at New York New Jersey Stadium. Vijay Dandapani, CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City, mentioned hotel bookings were below expectations, with anticipated losses surpassing $100 million.

Measuring World Cup Demand

Airbnb labels the 2026 World Cup as their largest hosting event to date, projecting more bookings than the 2024 Paris Olympics. The week ending June 7 saw the highest surge in tournament-related searches this year. Last-minute bookings suggest a response pattern based on team advancements.

However, the competition’s second week shows signs of muted demand, such as empty seats at some games. Stephen Shapiro, chair of South Carolina’s Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, notes a mix in demand levels, citing both high attendance at select matches and overestimated overall demand.

Shapiro highlights ticket pricing, which is challenging for many fans, and the expanded 48-nation format as factors affecting attendance. These issues may hinder fan engagement and growth, especially among new, younger fans experiencing the event live for the first time.

Nevertheless, Shapiro acknowledges robust attendance compared to previous tournaments. Rising resale prices and a higher average goal rate per game indicate growing popularity and contribute to the 2026 World Cup’s overall success.

Scott Friedman from Ticket Talk described the World Cup as impressive, highlighting the passion and spirit of fans. The tournament’s vibrant atmosphere and enthusiastic crowd are evident reasons for the surge in ticket prices.