With less than 40 days to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is warning that World Cup-related hotel demand is falling short of expectations.
The AHLA's FIFA World Cup 2026 Hotel Outlook report, which features survey data from properties across 11 U.S. host cities, found that 80% of respondents say bookings are tracking below initial forecasts.
The report cited headwinds like FIFA's room block overcommitment, alleging that the soccer association "created an artificial early demand signal that has since recalibrated," as well as international travel barriers and rising costs.
Visa barriers and broader geopolitical concerns are suppressing international demand, AHLA said, cited by close to 70% of respondents across most markets.
Outlook varies by market, with Atlanta and Miami reporting higher levels of hotel demand. Roughly half of Atlanta respondents reported bookings in line with or ahead of expectations, driven by team base camps and strong air connectivity, while about 55% of Miami respondents reported pace ahead of typical summer levels.
In Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles, roughly 65% to 70% of respondents reported bookings below World Cup expectations but said they're still in line with typical summer performance. New York City hoteliers reported a similar trend, with approximately two-thirds of respondents reporting softer-than-expected bookings that still track with normal summer demand.
At the other end of the spectrum, Kansas City fared worst, with 85% to 90% of respondents reporting pace below expectations, while in Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle, nearly 80% of respondents in those markets describing the tournament as a "non-event" due to FIFA room releases and weak international fan travel.
"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," said AHLA CEO Rosanna Maietta, adding that "a range of factors have tempered early optimism."