The 2026 World Cup is expected to bring a wave of global soccer fans to North America. But the travel boom is shaping up to look less like one uniform surge and more like a city-by-city, match-by-match test of pricing power.”Demand is real and positive, but it’s not evenly distributed across host cities,” said Jay Wardle, president of travel data intelligence company Sojern. New flight-booking data from Sojern shows most U.S. and Canadian host cities are seeing year-over-year gains for the tournament window, led by Houston and Dallas. But Seattle and all three Mexican host cities are trailing last year’s pace.The tournament kicks off Thursday in Mexico City and runs through mid-July, ending with the final at New York New Jersey Stadium — better known as MetLife Stadium — in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is the biggest World Cup ever, with 48 teams, 104 matches and games across the United States, Canada and Mexico.For hotels, restaurants, airlines, ride-sharing companies and host cities, the pitch has been straightforward: more teams, more games, more fans and more spending.FIFA has projected the event could contribute up to $17.2 billion to U.S. GDP. But Deutsche Bank said even if it brings 1.2 million international fans to North America, the overall economic impact will likely be limited in a U.S. economy of this size — amounting to a short-term GDP lift of roughly 0.05% if FIFA’s estimate is reached.Hotels and AirbnbBusinesses along Roosevelt Avenue prepare for the World Cup by displaying flags, soccer jerseys, and banners on June 09, 2026, in the Queens borough of New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty ImagesThe financial bonanza is likely to be split unevenly among cities, hotels, restaurants and other tourism-dependent businesses. Airbnb said it is expecting its best event ever, surpassing the 2024 Paris Olympics. The company expects to benefit from families and groups looking for larger accommodations or lower per-person costs.It could a …
