FIFA World Cup 2026 demand falls short as US hotels see fewer-than-expected bookings: Report

Hotel bookings across the United States are reportedly much lower than expected ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 despite the tournament being just weeks away. A new report released by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has raised concerns that the expected tourism boom from the World Cup may not happen.

The United States will co-host the World Cup along with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The tournament is expected to be the biggest World Cup in history with 48 teams and 104 matches. However, according to the AHLA report, nearly 80 percent of surveyed hotels across host cities said bookings are currently below initial expectations.

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The association said international visitor numbers are lower than expected, while domestic travellers are making up most of the bookings. The report highlighted visa barriers, geopolitical concerns, rising travel costs and high ticket prices as major reasons behind the weaker demand from overseas fans. Around 65 to 70 percent of hotel operators across markets said international travel concerns were significantly affecting bookings.

AHLA blames FIFA for creating artificial demand

The AHLA also blamed FIFA for creating an “artificial demand” situation through large-scale room block bookings that were later cancelled. According to the report, FIFA initially reserved huge numbers of hotel rooms in host cities, leading hotels to expect massive demand and increase prices. However, after many of those rooms were released back into the market, demand dropped sharply.

"FIFA room block over commitment created an artificial early demand signal that has since unraveled, with roughly half of respondents in host markets reporting material room block releases. Many hotels indicate that early booking signals overstated true demand," the report read.

The hotel association claimed that in cities such as Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Seattle, up to 70 percent of FIFA-reserved rooms were eventually cancelled. The report also showed that only a few host cities are seeing strong demand. Miami and Atlanta are among the markets performing better than expected.

According to the AHLA, many hotels had spent years preparing for the tournament and invested heavily based on FIFA’s economic projections. A FIFA-backed study released earlier had predicted that the World Cup could generate around 185,000 jobs and add $17.2 billion to the American economy.

But now there are growing concerns that the economic impact may fall below expectations. Meanwhile, the AHLA said it still expects hotel occupancy to improve as the tournament nears, especially once more fans finalise tickets and travel schedules.