Hotel bookings lag in U.S. World Cup host cities a month before kickoff, report says

With a little more than a month until the 2026 World Cup begins in North America, hotel reservations in many U.S. host cities are lagging expectations, according to Forbes. Roughly 80% of hotels in 11 American host cities are reportedly running well below anticipated bookings, with some properties describing current demand as a "non-event" comparable to a typical June and July.

Cities cited include Kansas City, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles and New York. Even in the New York–New Jersey area, which is slated to host the tournament’s final, hotels are tracking at normal summer demand levels, Forbes reported.

The early booking picture aligns with a separate assessment from Oxford Economics. In a report released last week, the firm said U.S. metros hosting World Cup games will "generate some GDP growth this summer," concentrated in leisure and hospitality, but those gains "will not have a material impact" on overall jobs and economic performance this year.

Commentary around the sluggish bookings points to a mix of factors, including high ticket prices, the cumulative cost of flights and lodging, and limited tailgate availability at some stadiums. Additional travel expenses may weigh more heavily on international visitors, while the author argues that concerns about a possible recession could be dampening domestic demand.

The commentary also links stringent immigration enforcement led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to potential hesitation among some overseas fans. For now, the data and the Oxford Economics outlook suggest any boost from the tournament may be concentrated in tourism-facing sectors rather than broadly felt across local economies, even as the United States prepares to host most of this summer’s matches.