World Cup 2026: Economic Hopes Face Reality for Host Cities

Global sporting events like the FIFA World Cup are often promoted to host cities as an economic 'gold mine.' That promise is based on an influx of tourists, packed hotels, new jobs, and billions of dollars in spending.

However, with opening day just days away, soaring ticket prices, weaker-than-expected hotel bookings, and broader economic uncertainty are raising questions about whether the event will deliver the windfall many cities once anticipated.

For international tourists, the immigration policies of US President Donald Trump have become a deterrent. In April, several organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), issued a travel advisory for foreigners coming to the US for the World Cup.

"Rising authoritarianism and increased violence under the Trump administration pose serious risks to everyone," they said, urging travelers to "exercise caution and have emergency backup plans when traveling to and within the United States."

Fans are also grappling with visa confusion. The administration scrapped a visa bond program requiring travelers from 50 countries to pay a $15,000 deposit. In May, it lifted that requirement for those with tickets to a World Cup match. But due to reported visa processing delays, travelers may not arrive in time, or they could still be denied entry.

Domestic travelers are feeling the pinch, too. Economic pressures from a sluggish job market and rising costs for essentials like gasoline are squeezing discretionary spending. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), gasoline now averages $4.16 per gallon (3.78 liters), up from $2.98 per gallon on February 28, when the US and Israel first struck Iran.

Together, these pressures are dampening demand for FIFA World Cup-related travel, threatening to undercut the economic 'boom' organizers and host cities had hoped for.

"People are less interested in traveling and paying high prices for tickets. I think there are also geopolitical issues that are certainly making people more cautious about traveling to the US and spending money in the US," Mike Edwards, a professor of sports management at North Carolina State University, told Al Jazeera.

A travel crisis?

According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, with just days before kickoff, 80% of hotels have lower-than-expected bookings, with 70% of respondents citing visa barriers and geopolitical uncertainty as key reasons for weaker travel demand.

In New York City, host of the final, bookings are running at only about 65% of expectations. In Seattle, Washington, 80% of hotels have seen lower bookings than typical summer levels. These figures fall short of the tourism bonanza FIFA had promised.

It’s not just US host cities seeing weak demand. Across the border in Canada, bookings in Vancouver, British Columbia, are also below expectations. "Despite its global stature, FIFA has not generated the widespread hotel demand many anticipated," the British Columbia Hotel Association said last month.

Still, some city officials and business leaders aren't overly worried that the slowdown will be as severe as initial forecasts. New York City officials told Al Jazeera they expect bookings to return to near-normal summer levels by the time the tournament begins. But 'business as usual' is not what a global sporting event promises.

Some hospitality giants still expect demand in line with other major sports events. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky expressed optimism on the company's first-quarter earnings call on May 7, saying Airbnb expects more bookings for this tournament than for any event in its nearly 18-year history.

Al Jazeera noted listings near the stadium in Dallas around the June 14 match were priced as low as about $700 for two nights. Listings in Philadelphia for the June 19 match started at nearly $300 for two nights. For the July 19 final near New York City’s metropolitan area, near MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, nearby Airbnb listings were posted for over $5,600.

"Bookings are ramping up because lead times are shorter if people are coming domestically. Airlines seem to be doing well, but I think the drive market will be huge here too," Allison O’Connor, vice president of communications at the US Travel Association, told Al Jazeera.

Air travel also shows rising demand, despite higher fuel costs and reduced flight schedules by major US airlines. According to market analytics firm Sojern, flight bookings to Houston and Dallas have surged 38% and 42% respectively compared to the same period last year. Both cities will host matches.

Domestic travelers account for nearly 70% of all advance flight bookings, according to Sojern data. International travelers lag far behind, with Canada making up just over 6% and the United Kingdom 4.8%. "It's entirely possible that the missed opportunity is in international travel business," O’Connor said.

That will affect spending because domestic travelers typically spend less than international ones. Ahead of the World Cup, the US Travel Association estimated that global visitors would spend more than usual, averaging over $5,000 per person—more than $200 higher than domestic travelers.

Ticket price volatility

All of this is happening despite soaring ticket prices that fans worldwide have criticized as exorbitant for the most passionate sports fans. In December, the group Football Supporters Europe called the price hikes—which at the time were at least seven times higher than tickets for the 2022 matches in Qatar—as "robbery" and a "massive betrayal."

Prices remain high. For example, the average ticket for early matches in Dallas in the upper-tier section starts at over $800. According to FIFA’s website, tickets for the July 19 final are currently "not available." However, Ticketmaster listings show starting prices around $9,200 per ticket and can go up to $43,553.

These elevated prices result from dynamic pricing, where prices rise based on demand. FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended this strategy at the Milken Institute Conference earlier this year. "We are in a market where the entertainment industry is the most developed in the world, so we have to apply market prices," he said.

On the resale market, prices have dropped 11% in the past month, according to TicketData. Late last month, the attorneys general of both New York and New Jersey announced investigations into FIFA’s ticket pricing and valuation strategies. "No one should be manipulated into paying sky-high prices for seats, and fans must be able to trust that the tickets they buy are the tickets they receive," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement about the subpoenas.

In May, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the city would offer $50 tickets to 1,000 New Yorkers through a lottery system. The city said tickets would be distributed evenly among residents of the five boroughs. The tickets for New Yorkers are not for the final, but for earlier rounds. However, the deal is 'a drop in the bucket'—MetLife Stadium has a capacity of 82,500.

For many New Yorkers, tickets remain out of reach. "New Yorkers have waited years for the World Cup to come to their home, and they deserve a fair chance at affordable tickets," James said. On Monday, Mayor Mamdani and New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a joint effort with the organization Global Citizen to host a watch party for the July 19 final in Central Park for 50,000 people. "You shouldn't have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to be part of the World Cup. Under our administration, you don't have to," the mayor said.

In cities like Atlanta, Georgia, non-profits are trying to build excitement around the World Cup. In April, Play Fair ATL hosted "The People's Cup" tournament aimed at giving those who might not afford expensive tickets a chance to engage with the sport.

Other cities have used the tournament to fund new or ongoing infrastructure projects. "In many cases, hosting a big event helps make that happen. Otherwise, those projects might be done over a much longer period or derailed entirely," Edwards said. In Houston, Texas, the city launched a 'Green Corridor' connecting walking and biking trail networks and public transit routes. In Kansas City, the city expanded its streetcar system and boosted bus service. Mayor Quinton Lucas hopes the upgrades will help drive long-term improvements in public transit accessibility. Kansas City's plan, however, is also controversial for including a proposed jail expansion, which homeless advocacy groups argue will be used to keep the homeless out of sight—a claim Lucas questioned. "It's not something that just popped up as soon as we got the World Cup. I think what you're seeing is the reality that we continue to govern. We continue to have a dynamic city," Lucas said.