Even Ahead of the Largest World Cup, U.S. Hotels and Ticket Demand Fall Short of Expectations

High Costs, Expensive Tickets, and Entry Concerns Weigh on Demand
U.S. Host Cities See Lower Hotel Occupancy Rates Than Canada and Mexico

With only two days left until the opening of the 2026 North American World Cup, there have been reports that the U.S. tourism industry is facing unexpectedly sluggish demand. Although the largest-ever World Cup, with 48 participating countries for the first time in history, was expected to generate a massive tourism boom, foreign media outlets have been reporting that hotel bookings and ticket demand in some U.S. host cities are falling short of initial projections.

With the opening of the 2026 North American World Cup just two days away, reports have emerged that the U.S. tourism industry is frowning over unexpectedly poor performance. Photo by AP News Agency

On June 8 (local time), The Wall Street Journal reported that the hotel occupancy rates in U.S. host cities during the World Cup period remain lower than those in major host cities in Canada and Mexico. According to data from hotel analytics company CoStar, Vancouver in Canada and Guadalajara in Mexico both recorded occupancy rates of about 48%, while Toronto, Mexico City, and Monterrey each surpassed 40%. In contrast, among U.S. host cities, only San Francisco exceeded a 40% occupancy rate, coming in at 44%.

A different trend is also being observed in the Boston area. CBS Boston, citing data from the American Hotel & Lodging Association, reported that about 80% of hotels in the Boston area are seeing occupancy rates below the seasonal average. Massachusetts transportation authorities, which had anticipated high demand for World Cup special trains to Foxborough Stadium, also reported that as of June 6, only 46,000 tickets had been sold for the first five special trains—less than half of the expected figure.

Median Resale Ticket Prices Drop About 20% Over the Past Month

Abnormal signs are also being detected in the ticket market. The Financial Times reported that about 180,000 tickets remained on FIFA's official resale platform just days before kickoff. The median price of resale tickets has dropped by about 20% over the past month, and some analysts point out that, when considering the transaction fees FIFA imposes on resales, some sellers could even incur losses.

However, it is still too early to conclude that the World Cup as a whole will be a failure. FIFA announced in April that over 5 million tickets had already been sold. FIFA explained that this tournament, featuring 48 countries, 104 matches, and a 39-day schedule, is the largest in history and could surpass the cumulative attendance record set by the 1994 World Cup held in the United States.

Abnormal signals are detected in the ticket market as well. The Financial Times reported that about 180,000 tickets remain on the FIFA official resale platform just days before the opening. The median price of resale tickets is known to have dropped by about 20% in the past month. Reuters Yonhap News

The 'World Cup special' that the U.S. tourism industry had anticipated refers to the combined surge in demand for hotels, flights, food and beverages, transportation, retail, and tourism attractions typically generated by a major sporting event. Tourism economic analysis agencies previously forecasted that the U.S. would welcome 1.24 million international visitors during this World Cup, with about 740,000 of them being additional visitors who would not have come if not for the event. It was also projected that hotel revenue in U.S. host cities could increase by up to 900 million dollars.

Expectations were also high for each host city. Los Angeles predicted a maximum economic impact of 594 million dollars by hosting eight matches, while the New York–New Jersey area anticipated an economic effect of 3.3 billion dollars, including tourism, lodging, and related industries. For this reason, the U.S. hotel industry and local governments have viewed the World Cup as an opportunity not only to attract fans, but also to promote their cities and generate re-visitation demand.

However, actual demand is varying significantly by region. Industry experts cite high travel costs as the primary factor. In the United States, the long distances between host cities make air travel expensive, and lodging and local transportation costs are also high. Combined with controversies over FIFA's high ticket prices, there is analysis that ordinary fans are hesitating to travel to the U.S. for the World Cup. In the case of Boston, the round-trip fare for special trains to the stadium was set at 80 dollars, sparking controversy about price burdens among fan groups and local communities.

Strict Immigration Screening and Visa Issues Also Play a Role

Entry risks are also being cited as a reason for the United States' particularly sluggish performance compared to Canada and Mexico. The Wall Street Journal reported that travelers find the U.S.'s strict immigration screening and visa requirements burdensome. Recent reports of foreign nationals being detained, visa delays, and entry denials have led to a growing reluctance among overseas fans to travel to the U.S.

One factor contributing to the United States' notably weaker performance compared to Canada and Mexico is the risk associated with entry. The Wall Street Journal reported that travelers find the United States' stringent entry inspections and visa issues burdensome. AP Yonhap News

More than 120 civil society organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, issued a travel advisory in April for World Cup visitors. They warned that fans, athletes, journalists, and workers coming to the U.S. for the World Cup could face risks of rights violations under strict immigration policies. The case of the Iranian national team has also fueled controversy. According to Reuters, the Iran Football Federation claimed that ticket allocations for Iranian fans were withdrawn just before the start of the World Cup. The Iranian team reportedly set up a training camp in Tijuana, Mexico, instead of Arizona, United States, due to visa and security concerns.

Meanwhile, uncertainties remain at the operational level. The Guardian reported that stadium and hotel workers in U.S. host cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, and Philadelphia have warned of possible strikes as they demand better wages and working conditions. Although workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles reached a tentative agreement just before the opening, demands for wage increases, more staff, and protective measures against immigration crackdowns continue in some areas.

However, it is difficult to say that interest in the World Cup itself has waned. Reuters, citing a Nielsen report, said that the number of soccer fans in North America has increased by 10.9% over the past five years, surpassing 136 million. The United States has 62.5 million soccer fans, making it the fourth-largest soccer market in the world.

Ultimately, there is growing consensus that the issue lies in a combination of costs, accessibility, and entry concerns, rather than a lack of soccer popularity. While host cities in Canada and Mexico are seeing relatively higher occupancy rates, whether the United States, which will host the largest number of matches—78 out of 104—can generate the expected tourism demand will depend on actual spectator flows and last-minute bookings once the tournament begins.

Meanwhile, the 2026 North American World Cup will kick off on June 11 with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City. In the United States, 78 of the 104 total matches will be held across 11 cities. Despite the prestige of being the largest tournament in history, the U.S. tourism industry is starting off facing the unexpected challenge of subdued demand before the opening.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.