When FIFA announced that North America would host the 2026 World Cup—describing it as “the largest World Cup in history”—the hospitality sector began preparing for a seismic shift in travel patterns across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Sixteen host cities are expected to see extraordinary visitor influx, new booking behaviors, and intense rate compression. At Hospitality America, we have built a disciplined commercial strategy that integrates revenue science, brand alignment, and local market intelligence to meet this moment.
Understanding the Scale: Data-Driven Demand Forecasting
According to CoStar’s most recent hotel outlook, host markets should expect a rate-led surge, with ADR projected to increase between 20% and 45%, while occupancy may rise 5–15 percentage points depending on match stage and geography. ²
Cities hosting later rounds, including New York/New Jersey (Final), Dallas (Semifinal), Kansas City (Quarterfinal), and Miami (Third Place)—are positioned to see the most significant revenue lift. Meanwhile, secondary metros within driving proximity are likely to experience compression from displacement and spillover demand, especially during knockout rounds.
Across our portfolio—from Hampton Kansas City Downtown Crossroads and Hampton Miami Brickell to Embassy Suites Greenville Downtown RiverPlace and Motto Bentonville Downtown—we have aligned these projections with segmentation trends, team-draw pricing models, and traveler sentiment analytics to ensure readiness well ahead of the curve.
Strategy in Motion: Preparing for Event-Driven Compression
Although the World Cup lasts thirty days, its commercial impact spans nine months, beginning with the December 5, 2025: team draw, which historically triggers booking surges in host cities. ³ Kansas City, for example, has planned official draw events and fan activations, aligning citywide visibility with early demand. ³
Our strategic framework centers on four pillars:
1. Rate Integrity Over Volume
In alignment with CoStar’s findings that the World Cup will be an ADR-driven event, we are deploying enhanced pricing controls and minimum length-of-stay requirements across Hilton and Marriott systems to safeguard premium nights while maximizing shoulder-night co