Rabat – The upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is already reshaping the travel market. Reports from The Athletic and surveys by Cheaphotels show that hotel rates have jumped dramatically since the match schedule was announced.
In the United States, Hotels in Houston have seen rates climb by up to 457%, Kansas City by 364%, Atlanta by 344%, and the San Francisco Bay Area by 342%.
Near New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where Brazil will face Morocco, rooms that once cost under $300 are now priced at over $1,500 per night.
Prices for the final in New Jersey are even higher, with some hotels charging more than $3,500 per night, compared to around $600 just weeks earlier
Mexico City is seeing similar spikes; the opening game between Mexico and South Africa has triggered extreme price hikes. One hotel that normally charges $157 per night is now listed at $3,882, a staggering 2,373% increase.
Average rates at six hotels near the stadium rose from $172 to $1,572 for the same period.
Canada shows mixed trends. Vancouver is among the most expensive, with rooms for group-stage matches reaching $879 per night, up 258% from normal rates. In contrast, Toronto remains relatively stable, with increases of only 20–30%.
With this being the first World Cup hosted across three countries and the first iteration of the expanded format with 48 teams, experts have noted, many more millions of fans are expected to travel to the hosting countries.
The demand for accommodation is unprecedented, making hotel rooms almost as sought after as match tickets. Analysts describe the surge as one of the most dramatic impacts on hospitality in the history of global sports.
