Mixed Hotel Booking Trends for 2026 World Cup in US Host Cities, with Most Reporting Below Expectations

U.S. host cities, according to a report released Monday by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The survey of owners and operators across 11 cities found 80 percent of respondents reporting lower-than-expected bookings, with nearly 80 percent of hotels overall indicating reservations running below projections.

Reasons cited include rising fuel costs, expensive transportation to games, geopolitical uncertainty, and visa barriers. The AHLA report highlighted a lower-than-expected number of international travelers due to these factors, with forecasts showing domestic travelers outpacing them. This imbalance threatens the broader economic impact anticipated from the event, the report stated.

There is a perception among potential visitors that international travelers may face lengthy visa wait times, increased visa fees, and lingering uncertainty around entry processing. In Kansas City, roughly 85-90 percent of survey respondents reported a booking pace below expectations, trailing even a typical June or July without major events.

By contrast, in Atlanta and Miami, around half of respondents said the booking pace was meeting or exceeding expectations.

The AHLA represents more than 30,000 members nationwide. The survey was conducted last month and based on 205 respondents representing hotel operators and owners, many owning multiple hotel portfolios across the country and World Cup markets. Despite more than 5 million tickets sold for matches, this demand has not yet translated into strong hotel bookings, the AHLA said.

Rosanna Maietta, the organization's president and CEO, stated: “Hotels across host markets have spent years preparing for the World Cup, and while there is real excitement, the data points to a more nuanced outlook. A range of factors have tempered early optimism, though forward indicators show there is still meaningful opportunity ahead. S.

And FIFA must ensure a welcoming and seamless experience for international travelers. That means avoiding unnecessary cost increases on visas and transportation to and from the games, and discouraging local jurisdictions from adding last-minute tax hikes that hurt the games and consumers. S.

Government rolled out the FIFA PASS, an expedited visa interview process for World Cup ticket-holders visiting the United States. As of last weekend, around 14,000 people had used the FIFA PASS process, according to The Athletic. , Mexico, and Canada.

The first game will occur in Mexico, and the final will conclude at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Kathy Nelson, CEO of Visit KC and the Kansas City Sports Commission, told KCUR in an interview that tournament organizers in the city stand by their projection to attract 650,000 visitors over the course of the World Cup.