Just hours before the start of , the expected boost for the travel and tourism sector with the biggest sporting event of the year has not yet materialized.
For years, the tournament was expected to bring a bonanza to the U.S. travel industry, which is now facing a decline in international visitors amid what human rights groups describe as a climate of fear.
The crowds of fans that hotels were counting on have not yet arrived, forcing many to reduce rates. Flight bookings have fallen sharply, while ticket prices have soared. Expensive game tickets have further dented demand, and industry analysts say enthusiasm has been subdued compared to previous World Cups.
Study abroad
Upgrade your career!
The weak start suggests that the traditional World Cup travel route — which typically relies on international fans willing to travel long distances and spend big to follow their teams — is faltering. Instead, the costs, visa hurdles and logistics of attending games in 16 host cities across three countries have proven to be an impediment.
North American travelers, in a country where football is less popular than in Europe, are not filling the gap.
It’s “overall a disappointment. There’s no other word I can say,” said Vijay Dandapani, chief executive of the Hotel Association of the City of New York. The association cut its World Cup-related hotel room revenue forecast by 60% to about $60 million, he said.
The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Last minute demand has not yet materialized
Flight bookings from Europe to most host cities in June and July fell 3.8% on average from a year earlier, according to Cirium, even after Europeans have already reduced travel to the U.S. in 2025. Bookings from Europe to New York, host of the July 19 final, plunged 15.8%, Cirium said.
FIFA had projected 1.2 million fans would descend on the city, but Dandapani said the New York Hotel Association expected just half a million.
Continues after advertising
Dandapani said there had been a small increase in bookings from fans from the UK and Norway recently, which he called a “positive sign”.
Despite the discouraging initial data. Average bookings in host cities were up just 0.5% from a year ago, according to analytics firm CoStar.
Several New York hotels are offering discounts on rooms, Dandapani said, including the New York Hilton Midtown, the city’s largest hotel, which cut rates for the tournament in half, to $415 per night, compared with rates announced in December, he said.
Continues after advertising
Hilton said in April it was seeing strong booking volume, driven by New York. The following month, Marriott stated that “there is obviously still much to be booked as the exact match-ups for the second half of the competition have not yet been decided”.
Hilton declined to comment, while Marriott did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Some fans are skipping the World Cup,” said Andy Milne, England superfan and author of the book That World Cup Guy. “My friends are going to Ibiza to watch all the games on TV for a fraction of the price. Others are going to Las Vegas. It will still cost money, but a lot less than tickets, travel, hotels and transport to the stadiums.”
Continues after advertising
Even wealthy fans, who have boosted the performance of U.S. travel agencies, are waiting for matchups to play out or for their teams to advance before committing to travel, said Roadtrips, a company specializing in luxury sports travel.
Entrance and visa costs are a disincentive
Fans from more than half of the countries classified need visas to enter the United States, which increases costs and uncertainty for travelers who are already wary of increased border enforcement measures. The Trump administration denied entry to a Somali arbitrator for alleged links to “suspected members of terrorist organizations.”
FIFA’s ticketing practices have also turned off some fans. Organizers introduced record base prices and, for the first time, dynamic pricing that increased costs as the tournament approached. FIFA’s decision to allow uncapped resale prices further inflated costs and attracted regulatory scrutiny.
Continues after advertising
The cheapest ticket in host cities like New York and Miami now approaches $1,000, according to TicketData.
Even if ticket prices halve as key matches approach, last-minute demand may remain subdued as overseas fans still face the cost and complexity of booking travel and securing visas at short notice, said Dana Lattouf, chief executive of UK ticket distributor Tickitto.
Vacation rentals, which allow groups to share costs, are a rare bright spot. Airbnb told investors in May that the World Cup was on track to become its biggest event ever. Data from short-term rental analytics firm AirDNA shows that bookings, particularly for budget and low-cost rentals, are rising in host cities including Boston and Los Angeles.
Average daily rates booked for rentals in host cities were $218, while travelers looking now would pay about $335 as of June 8, AirDNA reported, as hosts raise prices to capture last-minute demand.
“There’s a lot more leisure demand in all these cities because of the World Cup. That’s undeniable,” said Jamie Lane, chief economist at AirDNA.
