The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reshaped more than just the action on the pitch. Across the United States, official FIFA sponsor Airbnb has strengthened its position in the accommodation market, attracting travelers who would traditionally have stayed in hotels through an aggressive host recruitment campaign and an expanded supply of short-term rentals.
According to short-term rental analytics firm AirDNA, more than 52,000 properties were listed on Airbnb across World Cup host cities during the group stage, representing a 12% increase compared to the same period last year.
Hotels raised prices, but occupancy declined
The growth in Airbnb listings coincided with weaker-than-expected hotel performance.
Data from CoStar shows that hotels increased average room rates by around 20% during the tournament, yet many failed to achieve their anticipated revenue targets.
“The more price-sensitive visitors chose short-term rentals instead,” said Aran Ryan, Director of Research at Tourism Economics.
To capitalize on the demand, Airbnb offered a $750 bonus to new hosts listing properties near World Cup stadiums. Atlanta homeowner Laura Hawkins said the incentive encouraged her to renovate her apartment and make it available on the platform.
Meanwhile, Dallas host Jennifer Smith reported a 78% increase in income from one of her rental properties during the tournament, crediting Airbnb’s dynamic pricing tools for maximizing demand.
Rental prices soared in several host cities
Kansas City emerged as one of the strongest examples of the tournament’s impact on the accommodation market.
Average short-term rental prices increased by 63% compared with June 2025, even as the number of available listings nearly doubled.
Despite the overall tourism boost, hotel occupancy in the city fell by 8.5 percentage points.
Bernstein analyst Richard Clarke noted that while the World Cup remained financially significant for hotels, the gains came primarily through higher room rates rather than stronger occupancy.
New York falls short of revenue expectations
Even the New York/New Jersey region, which will host the World Cup Final, has seen expectations adjusted.
The Hotel Association of New York City reduced its projected net revenue from the tournament to $160 million, roughly half of the initial $300 million forecast.
Association President Vijay Dandapani suggested that elevated hotel prices discouraged many visitors, pushing fans toward cheaper accommodation options or causing some to cancel their travel plans altogether.
Airbnb targets long-term growth beyond the tournament
For Airbnb, the World Cup is more than a short-term commercial opportunity.
Chief Financial Officer Ellie Mertz pointed to the company’s experience following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where more than half of the new hosts who joined the platform for the event remained active six months later.
The company is aiming to replicate that long-term growth strategy after the World Cup by retaining as many newly acquired hosts as possible.
The tournament is demonstrating how mega sporting events are reshaping the accommodation industry. While hotels continue to benefit from increased visitor demand, Airbnb’s expanding inventory, flexible pricing model and targeted incentives have enabled the platform to capture a growing share of football fans, highlighting the increasing role of short-term rentals in the economics of global sporting events.