Hotels warn World Cup bookings are far below expectations : NPR

General view of Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, which will host some World Cup matches this summer.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America

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Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America

With just six weeks until the start of the World Cup, hotels in most cities hosting the tournament are facing a major problem: reservations are falling well short of expectations.

For some metropolitan areas like Kansas City, reservations are still below what a typical June or July would bring, according to an industry survey released Monday by the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The report was conducted last month and a spokesperson said it was based on 205 respondents “representing hotel operators and owners, many of whom own multiple hotel portfolios across the country and in several World Cup markets.”

The AHLA said the disappointing bookings came from fewer than expected international travelers and large cancellations by FIFA, the World Cup organizer, leaving hotels with a surprisingly high number of empty rooms.

“Despite more than 5 million tickets sold (for World Cup matches), this demand has not yet translated into strong hotel bookings,” the AHLA said in its report.

This disappointment comes as the hotel industry prepares for a strong summer of 2026. The World Cup is taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with 11 American cities hosting matches. Additionally, the United States is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which is also expected to bring an influx of foreign visitors.

Foreign visitors are vital to the hospitality industry, AHLA says, because they tend to spend more and stay longer.

But the AHLA warned that nearly 80% of hotel bookings in host cities are lower than initially forecast, according to its survey. In Kansas City, 85% to 90% of hotels reported lower-than-expected bookings.

World Cup organizers in Kansas City have dismissed the investigation, telling The Athletic that embassy staff from countries like the Netherlands are deploying extra staff to the city in anticipation of high numbers of visitors. KC2026, the host committee, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NPR.

There were, however, some positives for the host cities, Miami and Atlanta. About half of respondents in Georgia’s capital city reported bookings in line with or above forecasts, while about 55% of respondents in Florida’s largest metro city reported higher-than-expected forecasts.

Japanese fans celebrate after their team beat Spain in a 2022 World Cup match held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar on December 1, 2022.

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I’m not coming to America

The survey results appear to be another sign that foreign travelers are not planning to come to the United States in as large numbers as expected due to a multitude of factors, including stricter immigration policies by the U.S. administration.

“Even with growing global anticipation, the path to the United States for many World Cup travelers looks less and less like a red carpet welcome,” the AHLA said in its survey. “There is a perception that international travelers may face long visa wait times, increased visa fees and continued uncertainty regarding the entry process.”

The AHLA also cited other factors such as the strength of the U.S. dollar and concerns over airport screening as “contributing to a growing sentiment that traveling to the United States for the World Cup could be more complicated and more expensive.”

FIFA continues to tout “unprecedented” demand for the tournament and has said it expects the World Cup to break attendance records.

Meanwhile, White House spokesman Davis Ingle told NPR last week in an article about the World Cup demand that the tournament “will undoubtedly be one of the largest and most spectacular events in human history” and that “President Trump is working to ensure that it is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history.”