The biggest sporting event ever hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico is less than two weeks away, yet many American hotels are facing an unexpected problem: the international visitors they were counting on have not arrived.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup was expected to deliver a tourism boom worth billions of dollars, filling hotels, restaurants, airports, and attractions across the country. Instead, hotel operators in host cities are reporting bookings that are falling well below expectations, raising concerns that one of the world’s largest sporting events may not deliver the economic windfall many communities anticipated.

According to a recent survey cited by Fortune, hotels in all 11 U.S. World Cup host cities are seeing weaker-than-expected reservations.

The numbers are striking. In Kansas City, roughly 85% to 90% of hotel owners reported bookings below expectations. In Philadelphia and San Francisco, approximately 75% of hotels expect to miss projected occupancy targets. Even Miami, one of the strongest-performing host cities, saw nearly 45% of surveyed hotels reporting softer-than-expected demand.

Those results stand in sharp contrast to the promises made when cities bid for World Cup matches.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino famously described the tournament as the equivalent of hosting “104 Super Bowls,” highlighting the enormous economic impact expected from millions of visitors traveling across North America during the month-long event.

The missing visitors appear to be coming primarily from overseas.

Historically, international travelers have been the most valuable World Cup tourists. They stay longer, spend more money, and generate substantial revenue for hotels, restaurants, retailers, transportation providers, and local attractions.

Current travel data suggests those visitors are not arriving in the numbers originally projected.

Flight analytics firm Cirium reports that advance bookings into the United States for July are running approximately 14% below year-ago levels, an unusual trend for a period expected to experience a major tourism surge.

Industry analysts point to several factors.

Long visa-processing times remain a challenge for travelers from many countries. Higher airfare prices, a strong U.S. dollar, and concerns surrounding immigration procedures have also made travel to the United States less attractive and more expensive.

Hotel operators participating in the survey frequently cited visa delays and geopolitical concerns as significant barriers preventing international fans from finalizing travel plans.

The World Cup arrives at a difficult moment for the broader U.S. tourism industry.

International travel to the United States has been under pressure for more than a year. Industry estimates show overseas visitation declined during 2025, resulting in billions of dollars in lost tourism spending. Early 2026 figures have continued to show weakness, creating additional pressure on destinations that expected the World Cup to reverse the trend.

The New York-New Jersey region illustrates the challenge.

MetLife Stadium, which will host the World Cup Final, was expected to become one of the tournament’s biggest economic beneficiaries. However, local transportation costs generated criticism after New Jersey Transit initially proposed premium World Cup train fares that many travelers viewed as excessive before later reducing the prices.

For host cities, the stakes extend beyond hotel occupancy.

Foreign visitors typically spend heavily on dining, transportation, entertainment, shopping, museums, and local attractions. Economic projections assumed that approximately 1.2 million international visitors would travel to North America for the tournament, generating significant local spending and tax revenue.

If those numbers fall short, cities may struggle to achieve the economic returns used to justify infrastructure improvements, transportation upgrades, and event-related investments.

There may be one silver lining for domestic travelers.

With international demand weaker than anticipated, some hotels have begun releasing inventory and adjusting room rates to attract additional guests. That could translate into better availability and lower prices for Americans planning summer trips to host cities.

The World Cup will still attract massive television audiences, packed stadiums, and global attention. Millions of fans are expected to attend matches across North America.

But for now, many hotel operators are confronting an uncomfortable reality: the international tourism surge they were promised has yet to materialize.

Whether late bookings close the gap remains to be seen. With kickoff rapidly approaching, however, the countdown clock is ticking.

JBizNews Desk — Travel & Tourism

© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.