The World Cup tourism problem isn’t global - it’s American

With the World Cup around the corner, the expectations include a flood of fans, packed hotels, and billions in tourism revenue. But in the United States, that surge hasn’t shown up...at least not yet.

Reports of underbooked hotels and slower-than-expected ticket sales have begged another question. Is something going wrong with the biggest sporting event in the world? The answer depends on where you look.

World Cup travel is booming… just not where you’d expect

In a typical World Cup cycle, host nations see a sharp rise in tourism in the months leading up to kickoff. That hasn’t fully materialized in the U.S.

Hotel bookings in several host cities are trailing expectations, and general tourism trends show a dip in international travel compared to previous years. Some analysts point to high prices, others to global uncertainty, and still others to political rhetoric that may be shaping perception abroad. Whatever the cause, the early signs say that the U.S. is not experiencing the usual pre-tournament boom.

Across the rest of North America, however, the picture looks very different. Canada and Mexico, the World Cup’s co-hosts, are seeing stronger tourism indicators, both in projections and real-world data.

Canada is expected to post the largest tourism growth of the three host nations, with a notable increase in travel demand tied to the tournament. Mexico, meanwhile, is already seeing a rise in international visitors and spending, suggesting the World Cup effect is kicking in early. So it would seem that the tournament itself isn’t struggling. It’s just not impacting every host country the same way.

One key factor may be timing. Travel data shows that many fans are booking closer to matchdays rather than months in advance, a shift from previous World Cups. That could explain why hotels in all three countries, not just the U.S., have reported slower early reservations.

But there’s a difference. In Mexico and Canada, demand appears to be converting into actual travel. In the U.S., that conversion has been less consistent so far.

There’s no single explanation for this gap, but several factors stand out:

• Cost: Higher prices for accommodation and transport in U.S. host cities
• Geography: Stadium locations that are harder to access without a car
• Perception: Ongoing political and global narratives influencing travel decisions

None of these issues apply equally across all three countries, which may explain the inconsistent impact. The World Cup is boosting tourism, just not everywhere equally. Canada and Mexico are already seeing the benefits. The U.S. may still get there, especially as last-minute bookings rise. But for now, it stands apart from the trend.

With kickoff approaching, there’s still time for the picture to change. Major sporting events often see a late surge in travel, and the scale of the World Cup means even a short-term spike could quickly fill hotels and stadiums. But if current trends hold, this tournament could seea global event that succeeds while one of its biggest hosts struggles to keep up.

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