2026 World Cup Hotels Face Booking Slump as Fans Hesitate
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is seeing weaker-than-expected hotel demand in nine of its 11 U.S. host cities. Organisers have already released about 70% of rooms they had block-booked as high costs deter many fans. In Kansas, where England’s squad will be based, around 90% of hotels report below-normal summer bookings. Boston operators say reservations are down roughly 80% ahead of England’s group-stage match against Ghana on June 23. Similar slowdowns are emerging in Dallas and New Jersey despite looming kick-offs. Analysts point to expensive tickets, rising travel and accommodation costs, strict visa requirements and a strong U.S. dollar as key drivers. Fans from some African countries face additional hurdles like large visa bonds. These trends cast doubt on earlier projections that the tournament would generate $22 billion and create 200,000 jobs.
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