How Much Will Hotels Cost During the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

packed soccer stadium during a world cup match with fans cheering

Hotel prices across the 16 FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities are surging — and the gap between the cheapest and most expensive cities is enormous. If you are planning to attend matches this summer, comparing prices across Booking.com, Expedia, Google Hotels, Kayak, and independent comparison tools before you book is the single most important thing you can do to avoid overpaying.

The Numbers So Far

The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. According to data from SiteMinder, booking volumes near MetLife Stadium in New Jersey — where the final takes place on July 19 — have already jumped over 100% year-over-year, with average daily rates up more than 70%. Dallas, which hosts the most matches at nine, has seen reservations climb over 113% compared to last year. Revenue strategists at Lighthouse Intelligence report that hotel prices spiked significantly after the official tournament draw in December 2025, with Mexican markets like Monterrey and Guadalajara seeing prices more than double on match days.

Cheapest and Most Expensive Host Cities

A matchday cost analysis by Sweepstakes Table ranked all 16 host cities on a composite index covering hotels, food, drinks, and transport. Houston came out on top as the most affordable U.S. city, with average hotel rates around $173 per night. All three Mexican host cities — Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey — ranked in the top four for value, with Monterrey averaging $207 per night. On the expensive end, Vancouver leads at $404 per night on average, followed by Toronto and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Why Prices Vary So Much Between Platforms

One thing many travelers do not realize is that the same hotel room can show different prices depending on where you search. Major platforms like Booking.com and Expedia do not always include local taxes, resort fees, and service charges in the headline price — those often appear later in the booking process. Hotels.com follows a similar display model. Google Hotels aggregates rates from multiple sources, which helps with comparison, but does not always surface the lowest total price first. Kayak searches across providers but draws from the same major OTA inventory. This is why price comparison matters more during high-demand events like the World Cup — a 10% difference on a $400-per-night room over a week-long stay adds up to hundreds of dollars. Tools like TravelScanner.AI show all-in prices including taxes and fees upfront, which removes the guesswork that often leads to unpleasant surprises at checkout.

For a deeper look at how pricing transparency works across booking platforms, see our breakdown of TravelScanner.AI vs Kayak vs Google Hotels vs Booking.com.

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The Bottom Line

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest sporting event ever held in North America — 48 teams, 104 matches, 16 cities. Hotel demand is already breaking records months before kickoff. Whether you are heading to Houston for a budget-friendly group stage match or New York for the final, do not rely on a single booking platform. Check Booking.com, Expedia, Google Hotels, and TravelScanner.AI side by side before you commit. The travelers who compare will pay significantly less than those who book the first result they see. And if you are curious about how AI is reshaping hotel search during events like this, read our report on how AI is changing the way people book hotels.

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