Texas Goes Hand in Hand with Florida, California and Other States as US Tourism Witnesses Severe Underperformance in the Host Cities of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as High Ticket Prices and Entry Hurdles Keep Foreign High-Spending Travellers Away

Written By: Jishnoo Banerjee

Jishnoo Banerjee

A published author with over 9 years of experience in writing, poetry, and novel creation. Starting out on social media, Jishnoo gained recognition for engaging content in both English and Bengali. With a strong background as a news content writer, Jishnoo now contributes to a prestigious global travel magazine. Known for blending creative writing with journalism, the work seamlessly combines artistic expression with insightful reporting across different platforms.

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July 28, 2026 6:25 PM

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Texas goes hand in hand with Florida, California and other states as US tourism witnesses severe underperformance in the host cities of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as high ticket prices, entry hurdles, visa barriers and expensive travel costs keep foreign high-spending travellers away. Despite strong match attendance and higher hotel rates during key periods, many host markets failed to achieve the expected international tourism boom due to weaker overseas demand, released hotel inventory and affordability challenges. The tournament generated revenue gains in selected cities, but the anticipated widespread visitor surge was limited as international fans faced significant obstacles before reaching the United States.

National Overview of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Tourism Market

Why the Expected International Tourism Boom Fell Short

High Ticket Prices Reduced Travel Affordability

Ticket pricing became one of the strongest obstacles to broader tourism demand. Premium seats cost several thousand dollars, while some final hospitality packages exceeded US$60,000. In major markets, even the cheapest available resale tickets reportedly approached US$1,000.

These prices affected tourism in several ways:

• International visitors spent a larger share of their budgets on match access.
• Families and budget-conscious supporters were priced out.
• Travellers shortened their stays to control costs.
• Fans reduced spending on hotels, restaurants and attractions.
• Some supporters chose day trips instead of overnight visits.

As a result, strong stadium attendance did not always translate into equally strong hotel occupancy or destination-wide visitor spending.

Visa Restrictions and Entry Barriers Weakened Overseas Demand

Between 65% and 70% of surveyed hotel operators blamed visa restrictions, travel uncertainty and geopolitical concerns for weaker international demand.

The principal barriers included:

• Lengthy visa-processing periods.
• Appointment shortages at US embassies and consulates.
• Additional documentation and screening requirements.
• Uncertainty among travellers from Africa, Asia and parts of Latin America.
• Higher overall costs associated with securing entry approval.
• Concerns that visas would not be issued before scheduled matches.

These barriers particularly affected fans from long-haul markets that were expected to stay longer and spend more than domestic visitors.

FIFA Released Large Hotel Room Blocks

The release of FIFA-reserved hotel inventory became one of the most significant shocks to host-city accommodation markets.

Approximately 70% of reserved inventory was reportedly released, while some hotels experienced cancellations of up to 95% of contracted room blocks. This left operators with substantial unsold inventory shortly before the tournament.

The consequences included:

• Sudden oversupply in host-city hotel markets.
• Last-minute rate reductions.
• Greater competition for ordinary summer travellers.
• Weaker confidence among hotel owners.
• Reduced certainty around staffing and operations.
• Large differences between projected and realised demand.

Average advertised hotel rates reportedly fell from around US$537 at their peak to approximately US$297 by match night, a decline of roughly 44%.

Domestic Travellers Replaced High-Spending International Fans

Many host markets attracted domestic travellers rather than the expected volume of overseas supporters. These visitors often travelled by car, stayed fewer nights and spent less per trip.

Common travel patterns included:

• One-night stays.
• Same-day match visits.
• Regional road trips.
• Shared accommodation.
• Stays with family and friends.
• Use of short-term rentals instead of hotels.

International visitors had been expected to spend around US$5,048 per trip, approximately 1.7 times more than the average overseas visitor. Their weaker-than-expected presence reduced the potential economic gain for hotels, restaurants, retailers and attractions.

The Tournament Displaced Normal Tourism and Business Travel

World Cup-related price increases also discouraged traditional visitors. Some leisure travellers, conferences, academic groups and corporate events avoided host cities because they expected congestion, inflated prices and limited availability.

This produced a crowding-out effect:

• Ordinary summer tourists selected alternative destinations.
• Business travellers moved meetings away from host cities.
• Conferences changed dates or locations.
• Restaurants lost regular customers outside match periods.
• Non-host markets captured displaced travel demand.
• Hotel occupancy weakened on shoulder nights between matches.

In one measured period, hotel demand in host markets declined 1.1%, while demand elsewhere in the United States increased.

City-by-City Performance

Kansas City

Kansas City emerged as one of the weakest markets before the tournament. Between 85% and 90% of surveyed hotel operators reported that bookings were below expectations and even weaker than a normal June or July.

Core Kansas City Data

• 85%–90% of hotels reported below-forecast bookings.
• More than 70% cited weak international demand and visa-related concerns.
• Large FIFA room blocks were released.
• Some operators described the tournament as a “non-event” during the booking period.
• Hotel demand later declined alongside Seattle and Atlanta during part of the group stage.
• RevPAR increased approximately 25% during one tournament period.
• Average daily rates rose around 34% during that period.

Kansas City therefore experienced a mixed result. Room demand remained weak, but hotels that secured match-related bookings generated higher rates. Some operators said major concerts had previously created stronger and more predictable accommodation demand than the World Cup.

Seattle

Seattle also faced weaker-than-expected booking demand. Nearly 80% of surveyed operators reported that booking pace remained below forecasts and behind a typical summer.

Core Seattle Data

• Nearly 80% of hotels reported below-expected bookings.
• International arrivals remained weaker than projected.
• Seattle, Atlanta and Kansas City collectively recorded a 13.5% decline in hotel demand during part of the group stage.
• The same group recorded an 11.2-percentage-point occupancy decline.
• Seattle’s projected economic impact was reduced from US$929 million to US$845 million.

Seattle’s performance suggests that large visitor projections were not fully converted into hotel stays, particularly among overseas travellers.

Boston

Boston entered the tournament with similarly weak hotel expectations. Nearly 80% of surveyed operators reported bookings below forecasts and behind normal summer performance.

Core Boston Data

• Nearly 80% of hotels reported weaker-than-expected booking pace.
• Traditional hotel demand remained softer than projected.
• Luxury and upper-upscale accommodation did not receive the expected international boost.
• Vacation rentals captured a greater share of visitor demand.
• Groups reduced costs by sharing short-term accommodation.
• Some travellers stayed outside central Boston and travelled to matches.

Boston illustrates how alternative accommodation diluted demand for traditional hotels even when match attendance remained healthy.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia experienced one of the clearest differences between weak pre-tournament expectations and stronger realised performance.

Before the Tournament

• Nearly 80% of surveyed hotels reported bookings below expectations.
• FIFA room releases weakened advance demand.
• Some operators described early booking conditions as disappointing.
• International demand appeared weaker than anticipated.

During the Tournament

• More than 575,000 people attended the city’s Fan Fest.
• Hotel revenue increased by more than 50% during the city’s six matches.
• SEPTA Broad Street Line ridership rose 82%.
• Visitor activity increased around match venues and public viewing areas.
• Museums and attractions recorded stronger attendance.

Philadelphia demonstrates that weak advance bookings did not necessarily predict poor event-week performance. The city eventually generated strong hotel revenue and public-transport activity once the tournament began.

New York and New Jersey

The New York-New Jersey market recorded softer-than-expected international bookings despite hosting major tournament matches and the final.

Core New York-New Jersey Data

• Around two-thirds of surveyed hotels reported weaker bookings.
• More than 60% cited international travel barriers.
• European flight bookings to New York declined 15.8% year on year.
• Projected hotel room revenue was reportedly reduced by 60% to approximately US$60 million.
• FIFA had projected around 1.2 million fans.
• Hotel-industry expectations were closer to approximately 500,000 visitors.
• Some tournament-period hotel rates were reduced substantially as match dates approached.

The market largely performed like an ordinary summer rather than experiencing the exceptional international surge originally expected.

Dallas

Dallas entered the tournament with cautious hotel sentiment but later produced stronger revenue performance.

Core Dallas Data

• Around 70% of Dallas and Houston hotel operators reported bookings below expectations.
• Advance demand was broadly comparable with a normal summer.
• Dallas hosted nine matches, the highest number allocated to one venue.
• RevPAR increased approximately 27.2% during one tournament period.
• Dallas was among the few US host markets to record occupancy growth through late June.

Dallas did not achieve the full international tourism surge originally anticipated. However, its large number of matches helped support higher hotel revenue and relatively resilient occupancy.

Houston

Houston also reported weak pre-event bookings, although its realised visitor and spending figures improved during the tournament.

Core Houston Data

• Around 70% of surveyed operators reported below-forecast bookings.
• More than 480,000 tickets were sold.
• Nearly 50% of ticket buyers were international visitors.
• Visitor spending rose 9%.
• Local spending increased 2%.
• Hotel occupancy remained relatively flat.
• Average daily room rates increased approximately 16% year on year.
• Hotel occupancy declined around 2% year on year in one measured period.
• More than one million attendances were reported across matches and related events.

Houston’s results indicate that higher room rates and event spending improved revenue, even though occupancy did not increase significantly.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles experienced weaker hotel demand despite being one of the most important international gateways in the country.

Core Los Angeles Data

• 65%–70% of surveyed hotels reported bookings below expectations.
• Released FIFA room inventory affected occupancy.
• High labour and operational costs limited flexibility.
• Accommodation prices discouraged some leisure travellers.
• The distance between hotels, venues and attractions created logistical challenges.
• Short-term rentals captured a larger share of price-sensitive demand.
• Traditional hotels struggled to achieve the expected international booking uplift.

Los Angeles benefited from strong air connectivity and a large domestic market, but these advantages did not fully offset high travel costs and weaker overseas demand.

San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco was initially included among weaker booking markets, but its realised performance became one of the strongest in the United States.

Core San Francisco Data

• Nearly 80% of surveyed operators initially reported below-expected booking pace.
• Pre-event occupancy was reported at around 44% in some booking snapshots.
• Occupancy increased 10.9% year on year during a late-June tournament week.
• RevPAR increased 40.7% year on year during that week.
• RevPAR increased 54.5% during one broader tournament period.
• San Francisco was among the few markets recording occupancy growth.

The city’s international flight network, premium hotel inventory and established global tourism profile helped it recover from weaker advance bookings.

Miami

Miami stood out as the strongest pre-tournament booking market and benefited from its close links with Latin America.

Core Miami Data

• Approximately 55% of surveyed hotels reported bookings ahead of expectations.
• Latin American visitor demand remained strong.
• Existing air routes and established travel patterns supported international arrivals.
• Opening-period RevPAR declined approximately 6.5%.
• Rooms sold declined around 15.3% during the opening period.
• Occupancy fell approximately 4.3 percentage points initially.
• Later in the tournament, average daily rates increased 51.1% year on year.
• RevPAR increased 51.6% year on year during a stronger group-stage week.
• Occupancy increased only 0.3 percentage points during that stronger period.

Miami therefore achieved considerable revenue growth, but much of it came from higher pricing rather than a major increase in room demand.

Atlanta

Atlanta produced relatively resilient advance demand because of its large airport, domestic connectivity and diversified tourism economy.

Core Atlanta Data

• Around 50% of surveyed hotels met or exceeded expectations before kick-off.
• The city benefited from a major airline hub.
• Team base camps supported selected properties.
• Domestic travel helped offset weaker overseas demand.
• Atlanta later joined Seattle and Kansas City in a measured period of weaker hotel demand.
• Conference displacement affected year-on-year comparisons.

Atlanta’s performance was mixed but generally stronger than markets such as Kansas City, Seattle and Boston during the advance-booking period.

State-Level Comparison: Texas, Florida and California

Canada and Mexico Generally Performed Better

Several Canadian and Mexican host cities recorded stronger booking conditions than many US markets before kick-off.

Vancouver and Guadalajara reportedly approached or exceeded 48% occupancy in some advance-booking measurements. Their performance was supported by:

• Simpler regional travel.
• Lower transport costs.
• Large local and regional fan bases.
• Reduced dependence on long-haul visa processing.
• Easier cross-border travel.
• Lower accommodation costs in selected markets.
• Stronger demand from nearby international visitors.

The comparison highlighted the greater dependence of US destinations on long-haul travellers facing visa, airfare and ticket-cost barriers.

Major Factors Behind the Tourism Shortfall

Most Important Quantitative Findings

• 205 hotel owners and operators participated in the national industry survey.
• Approximately 80% reported bookings below their original forecasts.
• Between 65% and 70% blamed visas, travel barriers and geopolitical uncertainty.
• More than five million tickets were sold before kick-off.
• FIFA reportedly released around 70% of reserved hotel inventory.
• Contracted hotel-room cancellations reached as high as 95% in some cases.
• International visitors were expected to spend approximately US$5,048 per trip.
• Their anticipated spending was around 1.7 times higher than that of a typical overseas visitor.
• Host-city hotel demand declined approximately 1.1% during one tournament period.
• RevPAR nevertheless increased around 18.7% because hotels charged higher rates.
• Match-night RevPAR increased approximately 25.8%.
• Match-night room rates increased around 25.9%.
• Advertised hotel rates fell approximately 44% from their booking peak to match night.
• Kansas City recorded the weakest pre-tournament sentiment, with 85%–90% of operators below expectations.
• Nearly 80% of operators in Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle and San Francisco reported weak booking pace before kick-off.
• 65%–70% of Los Angeles operators reported below-forecast bookings.
• Around 70% of Dallas and Houston operators reported weaker-than-expected advance demand.
• Approximately 55% of Miami operators reported bookings ahead of expectations.
• Roughly 50% of Atlanta operators met or exceeded expectations.
• Philadelphia eventually recorded more than 575,000 Fan Fest visitors and hotel revenue growth above 50%.
• Houston sold more than 480,000 tickets, with nearly half purchased by international visitors.
• San Francisco later achieved occupancy growth of 10.9% and RevPAR growth of 40.7% during a strong tournament week.
• Miami achieved average daily rate growth of 51.1% and RevPAR growth of 51.6% during one later period.

Texas goes hand in hand with Florida, California and other states as US tourism witnesses severe underperformance in the host cities of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as high ticket prices and entry hurdles keep foreign high-spending travellers away despite strong match demand and hotel revenue gains.

In conclusion, Texas goes hand in hand with Florida, California and other states as US tourism witnesses severe underperformance in the host cities of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as high ticket prices and entry hurdles keep foreign high-spending travellers away. While the tournament generated strong revenue opportunities in selected markets through higher hotel rates, the expected international tourism surge was limited by visa challenges, expensive travel costs, released hotel inventory and reduced affordability. The outcome highlights the need for future mega-events to improve accessibility and ensure global visitors can fully contribute to destination economies.