According to recent reports from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), nearly 80% of the hotels surveyed across eleven host cities stated that World Cup-related bookings are below projections for this stage leading up to the tournament. The international results reflect unusual behavior for a competition considered one of the most important sporting events in the world and one that has historically generated near full-capacity occupancy in hotels and tourism services.
Industry specialists believe that the main obstacle to stronger international demand is currently linked to immigration procedures and visa processing times. A significant number of travelers from Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia face complex and costly entry procedures to visit the United States, a situation that is considerably reducing advance bookings.
This is compounded by the increase in airfare and hotel rates recorded in recent months. In several host cities, accommodation prices rose significantly in anticipation of high demand, ultimately producing the opposite effect on many international travelers, who either began seeking cheaper alternatives or decided not to attend the tournament altogether.
The impact has not been uniform across all World Cup venues. Cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, New York, and Kansas City are showing occupancy levels lower than expected for an event of this magnitude. Some establishments report reservation figures similar to those of a regular tourism season, far below the forecasts made during the tournament’s planning phase.
In contrast, markets such as Miami and Atlanta are posting stronger results thanks to their international connectivity, tourism infrastructure, and strong leisure travel demand. These cities continue to maintain a more dynamic pace of bookings from both fans and corporate travelers connected to the organization of the tournament.
Another factor influencing market behavior was the initial block reservation of hotel rooms carried out by FIFA and later released in different stages. This created an early perception of high occupancy that did not fully materialize into confirmed bookings. Many hotels were forced to readjust their commercial strategies after thousands of reserved rooms became available again.
Faced with this scenario, numerous hotel chains have begun redirecting promotions toward the domestic U.S. market and corporate travelers in an effort to offset the slowdown in international demand. Some establishments have even moderated investments and marketing campaigns linked exclusively to the World Cup due to uncertainty surrounding the final volume of foreign visitors.
The results also reveal significant changes in international consumer behavior. Many fans are now opting for alternative lodging platforms and shared accommodations to reduce expenses, while others prefer following the tournament from their home countries due to the overall high cost of the trip. The combination of tickets, transportation, lodging, and food has made the 2026 World Cup considerably more expensive compared to previous editions.
Despite the moderate figures recorded so far, tourism experts believe there is still room for a partial recovery in demand during the weeks leading up to the tournament. Ticket sales, the final match schedule, and possible easing of immigration procedures could encourage a new wave of last-minute international bookings.
The U.S. hotel industry continues to maintain positive expectations regarding the tournament’s broader economic impact, especially considering that this historic edition will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Millions of fans are expected to travel throughout North America during the competition, boosting sectors related to tourism, gastronomy, entertainment, and transportation.
However, the preliminary results leave a clear conclusion for the international market: the tourism success of major global events no longer depends solely on sporting appeal. Factors such as accessibility, costs, air connectivity, immigration policies, and the overall ease of travel have become decisive elements shaping the behavior of international travelers in an increasingly competitive and economically sensitive global tourism industry.
