All 16 cities hosting the FIFA World Cup have seen a surge in hotel prices, with rates significantly higher than those of the same period last summer, according to a report from FCM Consulting.
The report found that 13 of the 16 host cities have seen a year-over-year increase of at least 80 percent each night.
With less than a month until kickoff, the tournament will be the largest World Cup ever staged, and years of preparation have gone into the men’s soccer event, which will play out across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
While the competition has promised to be a major boost for the U.S. economy, there are rising concerns as high ticket and hotel prices could be dissuading fans from attending.
Why It Matters
Ticket demand has been somewhat low, with Newsweek having found that resale prices for some matches has fallen sharply, with one group-stage game dropping below $100 per ticket and several still showing more than 1,000 tickets available.
Thousands of tickets remain unsold across the 16 host cities, with U.S. cities dominating the overall rankings, though much of the inventory appears concentrated in a relatively small number of lower-demand matchups.
In a recent interview with the New York Post, U.S. President Donald Trump was asked to respond to the $1,000 price tag for the U.S. team’s opening game against Paraguay on June 12.
“I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you,” he said.
Cities With Biggest Hotel Price Increases
The trend of high ticket prices is being mirrored in hotel pricing. The average nightly rates are about $499 across all of the host markets. That’s a jump of $438 prior to the tournament schedule being announced, per the FCM Consulting report. The average rate on match nights is $524, compared to $398 on non-game nights.
The U.S., which will host most of the tournament’s matches, shows the widest spread in hotel pricing. Boston leads the American markets with an average nightly rate of $611, followed closely by New York/New Jersey at $593. At the other end of the spectrum, Houston is currently the most affordable U.S. host city, averaging $205 per night.
Vancouver stands as the most expensive host city across the entire tournament, with average rates nearing $890. The surge is driven in part by the city’s relatively limited hotel supply, offering only about 22,700 rooms.
Mexico’s host cities are seeing the steepest percentage increases, even though they started from much lower base rates. In Guadalajara, for example, rooms that averaged $90 per night last summer are now listed at $511—the largest overall price jump among all host markets.
Low Hotel Bookings
Hotel bookings are running below forecasts for the World Cup period, according to city hotel owners and hospitality industry representatives who previously spoke with Newsweek. The American Hotel and Lodging Association found that 80 percent of bookings are tracking below initial forecasts.
The U.S. State Department has tried to ease restrictions on travel for attendees and waived a requirement for visa applicants from 50 countries to pay a $15,000 deposit when traveling to the U.S. if they have a valid ticket for the competition.
What Happens Next
The opening match of the World Cup will be between Mexico and South Africa on June 11. The event will conclude on July 19.