KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – MAY 05: World Cup signage is displayed at the Kansas City airport ahead of the 2026 World Cup on May 05, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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If you haven’t booked your hotel room for any of the 16 host cities of the 2026 World Cup yet, there is some good news for fans.
Prices have dropped since they went on sale last year, according to Ashley Gutermuth, Head of FCM Consulting, Americas. FCM Consulting has been monitoring hotel pricing for the 38-day event beginning on June 11.
“The most surprising thing is the gap between what hotels expected versus what is materializing this far,” Gutermuth said in an interview earlier this week. “When we first looked at prices in December, hotels were pricing for this once in a generation demand event. But in April, in at least half the cities, those rates had already fallen. It’s a remarkable correction for really what is supposed to be the biggest sporting event in the world.”
Gutermuth was referring to when the World Cup schedule was solidified after the draw in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 5.
As we get closer to the June 11 kickoff the World Cup in Mexico City, Gutermuth expected to see hotel prices to drop a little more.
“Don’t assume the prices you see today are final, as hotels are now adjusting initial rates in many markets,” the FCM Consulting report stated. “If you’re flexible on city or dates, there are opportunities to attend the World Cup without paying the headline rates as the prices hotels set after the December draw are not quite holding. In about half of the U.S. host cities, game-day rates have dropped from their peaks.”
That is encouraging news, although that doesn’t necessarily mean it will return to the average summer rate in the host cities.
“I think the overall direction for most of the markets is down from here, with a few exceptions,” Gutermuth said. “I think cities where we’re likely to see further declines are the ones that are tracking behind last year’s booking(s), which is New York, Boston and Toronto, to some extent, Philly, San Francisco. But these markets set really aggressive prices early, and the demand just hasn’t kept up. So, now they are looking to see what they can do to fill those rooms.
“I think event pricing consistently shows that steepest discounts happen in the final two to three weeks before the event. That’s the window to look for those markets.”
The report follows a May 6 story by Forbes’ Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, that the U.S. hotels for the World Cup has been a “non-event” to date.
Almost 80% of U.S. hoteliers in 11 host cities said that bookings were tracking below original forecasts.
“A key difference is that this tournament’s much bigger than other World Cups,” Alan Fyall, associate dean at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, told Forbes. “It’s more spread out, it’s more expensive, and travel is more complicated.”
Used with permission from FCM Consulting, Americas.
FCM Consulting, Americas
Average cost of a World Cup hotel room is almost $500
The average price for a hotel room in the World Cup cities is $499, a 13.93% increase from $438, before the tournament schedule was announced in December.
In comparison to last year’s FIFA Club Word Cup, which was held during a similar time period (June 14-July 13), hotel prices have skyrocketed.
For example, Vancouver has gone from an average of $230 to $890, a 290 percent increase.
New York City has risen 90 percent, from $300 to $593, a 90% increase.
The American host city with the greatest increase was Dallas at 167%. The lowest price rise was San Francisco at 31%, from $215 to $281.
Average prices will vary from market to market, sometimes due to supply and demand.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – MARCH 26: FIFA World Cup 2026 advertising is displayed across the windows of a building at the intersection of Georgia and Granville streets in downtown Vancouver as the city prepares for the FIFA World Cup 2026, highlighting promotional campaigns ahead of the tournament on March 26, 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Photo by Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz/Getty Images)
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The supply is low and demands are high in Vancouver
In Vancouver, hotel rooms cost an average of $890 a night, the highest of the 16 venues. There is a good reason why, there are only 30,000 rooms available in the Western Canadian city.
“They’ve also got one of the strictest short-term rental laws in North America, which means that people can’t seek out alternatives,” Gutermuth said. “They really are restricted to those hotels. Interestingly, in Vancouver, they’ve also got a record crew season happening. So, they’re going to have four ships in port simultaneously during match week. They absolutely have a supply lock city with limited alternatives available, unless you really go beyond Vancouver.”
Outside factors also can play into higher hotel prices. Vancouver is expecting a record-breaking cruise season, with an estimated 1.4 million passengers ready to pass through the city, Gutermuth said.
Vancouver will host seven games, five in the group phase, and two in the knockout round – Round of 32 and Round of 16.
Not surprisingly, New York City heads the 11 U.S. World Cup host cities, averaging $593 a night. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. will host eight matches, including the July 19 final. Boston, which will host its games at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. is next at $611, followed by Mexico City at $597.
“I think Mexico City definitely, around opening match, is going to stay very high, just because it’s the big event, the big opening event,” Gutermuth said.
The report noted that fans who were considering to book rooms in Vancouver, New York and Mexico, they should do it now “because those markets are structurally constrained and unlikely to get cheaper.”
The outside of Houston Stadium (temporarily renamed from NRG Stadium) is seen ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston, Texas, on May 11, 2026. Houston Stadium will host seven soccer matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images)
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Houston is the least expensive city
In contrast, Houston is averaging $205 a night per room, which is the lowest of all cities. Houston, which fourth largest U.S. city (2.4 million) will host seven matches – five group-stage contests, a Round of 32 and Round of 16 game.
“In the greater Houston area, they’ve got over 100,000 rooms, which is one of the largest hotel markets in the country,” Gutermuth said. “So even if demand is average or pretty good, their normal summer rate is $92 a night, which is very inexpensive. So I think what they’re averaging now is about $200 during tournament, which is still the cheapest of any host city worldwide. And in that case, it has absolutely number one to do with the amount of supply in that market.”
Dallas is next at $272, followed by Atlanta ($220) and San Francisco ($281).
(L-R) CEO of the new Banorte Stadium, Felix Aguirre, Mayor of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, Italian former football player, Alessandro del Piero, FIFA Mexico representative, Jurgen Mainka and Mexico City Secretary of Tourism, Alejandra Fraustro, participate in the unveiling of the countdown clock for the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City, on June 11, 2025. (Photo by Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP) (Photo by ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images)
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There also were some huge increases in Mexico
A hotel room in Guadalajara that cost $90 a night in 2025, currently costs %11, a 468% increase, the largest price increase among the 15 host cities, the report said.
Monterrey rooms on game nights doubled in price, which was the biggest jump for a night in the tournament. Last year, rooms in the city costs $90. For the World Cup that have jumped to $364.
In Mexico City, some hotels near Estadio Azteca are charging up to 10 times their normal rate, the report said. Last year’s summer booking rate in Mexico’s capital was $170 before exploding to an average of $595, a 252% increase.
According to the report, those three cities have either large hotel inventories or more moderate demand, which has kept prices more reasonable.
Gutermuth added that there were other factors involved in the drop of prices, including potential foreign visitors who factor in the high cost of tickets and an increase in airfare due to the world oil crisis, caused by the Strait of Hormuz closing because of the U.S.’s and Israel’s war with Iran.
“It’s how expensive these game tickets are anywhere from $500 to $2,000 plus, plus the $250 visa integrity fee for some countries, plus airfare that is now even more expensive because of oil prices,” she said. “When you stack those things together, that’s a big trip budget for an international visitor to come and see some of these matches.”
Gutermuth and her team plans to monitor prices before the World Cup kicks off in Mexico City on June 11 and through the tournament, which culminates at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on June 19.
“We’ll probably set up another analysis to run,” she said. “We’re thinking about two weeks out is when we’re going to see prices drop again. So, we’ll probably look around two weeks out to the start of the tournament, and then we’ll probably do a post tournament debrief to see what ends up actually happening.”
Michael Lewis, the sixth recipient of the Clay Berling Media Career of Excellence Award in 2025, can be followed on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky at @Soccerwriter. His 10th soccer book, Around the World Cup in 40 Years: An American sportswriter’s perspective, will be published this spring.
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