World Cup Hotel Prices Across Host Cities Reach Ridiculous Heights
Hotels in World Cup cities will cost ya.
It was no secret that hotel prices were going to be high across World Cup host cities throughout the tournament. When one of the biggest sporting events on the planet visits a city, the price for somewhere to put your head down at night goes up. We're aware of how that works, but that doesn't exactly make these price surges justifiable.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted across 16 cities in North America, with the majority of matches being held in the United States, and hotels are set to make a fortune throughout the five-week event that begins in June.
With the World Cup draw taking place earlier this month, and FIFA announcing the 104-match schedule, demand for hotels went up across the 16 host cities, as did the cost for a room.
President Donald Trump at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The Athletic analyzed prices at 96 Marriott and Hilton hotels in host cities, and the spike in prices proves two things: soccer fans are thrilled to have the World Cup in North America, but unless they want to sleep in their cars, they're going to have to pay an obscene amount of money for a hotel room.
In terms of the 78 games that will take place in the U.S., hotel rates surged most in Houston (457%), followed by Kansas City (364%) and Atlanta (344%) compared to respective rates in late May of this year. According to the data, the average nightly rate across six hotels in New York City and New Jersey climbed 228% for a two-night stay around Brazil’s June 13 match against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the final will also be held.
READ: World Cup Matches Get Americanized With Addition Of Mandatory Protocol
It should come as no surprise that the largest increase in hotel prices for the World Cup came in Mexico City, where soccer culture trumps that of the U.S. and Canada. For the June 11 opener between South Africa and Mexico, rooms at the Marriott resort Meridien Mexico City Reforma near the Azteca Stadium surged to 2,372%, with the per-night cost reaching $3,882.
These hotel prices align with the incredibly high ticket prices for next year's World Cup.
Not only will next year's tournament mark the largest, most impactful soccer event ever held in North America, but it's also on pace to be one of the most expensive sporting events of all time.