US Hotels Struggle As World Cup Tourism Expectations Fall Short

US Hotels Struggle As World Cup Tourism Expectations Fall Short
Hotels blame FIFA room reservations for distorted accommodation demand.
High travel costs discourage many international football supporters.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup was expected to spark one of the biggest tourism booms in United States history, but fresh concerns are emerging just weeks before the tournament begins as hotel bookings remain below expectations across several host cities.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that a report released by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, AHLA, revealed that reservations in many World Cup host cities are significantly weaker than projected, raising fears that the tournament may not deliver the massive economic impact earlier predicted.

The association stated that the current booking trend does not reflect FIFA’s announcement that over five million tickets have already been sold. According to the group, the expected tourism and hospitality surge may now fall short of forecasts.

The AHLA, which represents more than 32,000 hotel properties across the United States, blamed the situation partly on FIFA’s accommodation strategy. The group alleged that FIFA initially reserved far more hotel rooms than needed, creating what it described as “artificial demand” that pushed room prices sharply higher and made accommodation appear scarce.

However, after many of the reserved rooms were later released back into the market, hotels were left struggling with oversupply and lower demand than anticipated.

The association said many hotels had invested heavily in preparation for the tournament based on expectations that the World Cup would generate about 185,000 jobs and contribute roughly $17.2 billion to the US economy.

Reports also indicated that up to 70 percent of rooms initially blocked by FIFA in cities including Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Seattle were eventually cancelled.

FIFA rejected the criticism, insisting that all room releases followed agreed contractual timelines with hotel partners. The football governing body said its accommodation team maintained regular communication with hotels throughout the planning process.

Hotel operators also blamed high ticket prices, transportation costs, taxes and political concerns for discouraging some international visitors. Despite recent reductions in hotel rates, accommodation prices in several cities remain expensive for many travelling fans.

Still, industry stakeholders remain hopeful that late bookings ahead of the knockout stages could improve demand and reduce potential financial losses.