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There are so many ways to bring in business beyond the game. Cities outside the main event are positioned to add value. Attract both regional and international travelers with the ideas to extend their trips. How? Share your local highlights and messaging with pricing. Spoiler alert: That’s the biggest upside for you.
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
Game on: 2026 soccer heats up travel demand
Discover how international fans and cities across North America are powering a new wave of sports tourism.
Fans are going all in on travel
When it comes to travel, fans aren’t just booking a trip for a soccer match; they’re designing full travel experiences that go well beyond just the game. The 2026 tournament is unlocking a wave of high-intent travel as fans show a willingness to go farther, stay longer, and spend more to be part of the moment.
Earlier this year, Expedia Group and PredictHQ projected that total traveler spend across North America’s soccer host cities will exceed $8.1B* between June and August 2026. New research shows which host cities are leading the way, how surrounding “spillover” markets are benefiting, and how international travelers are driving an outsized boom for cities of all sizes.
Fans are booking earlier, traveling farther, and spending more to turn the fantasy of being in a stadium into a reality by booking their trip. Reach millions of sports fans and their family and friends by leveraging Expedia Group’s first-party data. Show how your properties, airlines, activities, and more can make their trip unforgettable.
Sports tourism is a game-changer
One month out from the biggest soccer tournament in North American history, travel demand is ramping up across host cities and surrounding markets.** Partners who move quickly stand to gain the most. According to a new study powered by PredictHQ:
$8.1B+
Total spend projected across North America between June and August 2026
$750M+
Increase expected in spending from the same period last year
$4.8B
Projected accommodation spend, making an increase of 86% from $2.6B last year
Momentum soars across North America
Big soccer moments are reshaping travel across North America, starting in the cities that are hosting the games and expanding out into the regions around them. While some destinations may be positioned as front-runners, all cities are poised to win as fans look for more options, better value, and inspiration to make a full, regional trip experience.
Host cities win big
Cities hosting matches have already seen a major lift from sports travelers. While some markets may stand out in the summer schedule, their neighbors can share the benefits.
- Kansas City is one of the standout leaders among 2026 host cities, with travel intent up 135% year over year (YoY) and strong growth in hotel performance with a 305% increase in the average daily rate (ADR) rising 35%.**
- Monterrey is posting the highest lodging demand growth of any host city, with demand up 255% YoY and travel intent doubling at 100%. These early gains show how powerful sports tourism can be for destinations in the spotlight.**
135%
Rise in traveler intent in Kansas City
255%
Increase in travel demand in Monterrey
Spillover cities are primed for the match
The opportunity does not stop at the stadium. Areas that surround host destinations are also positioned to win as fans look for favorable pricing, more availability, and the chance to turn a match into a wider regional trip.
Around the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, the host city has recorded travel intent growth of +15%. Surrounding markets are accelerating even faster.**
Traveler demand in neighboring areas:
- Contra Costa County is up 670%.
- Oakland is up 110%.
- Santa Cruz County is up 65%.
670%
Rise in travel intent around the Bay Area
195%
Increase in exploring surrounding areas around the San Francisco Bay Area
Exceptional growth for the city next door
Fans are making savvy, practical decisions about where to stay, and it's a massive opportunity for partners who aren't in the direct host city footprint.
In the Toronto area, travel intent is crossing borders: Buffalo, New York is up 20%, while Canadian neighbors Hamilton and Niagara-on-the-Lake are each up 10%.
Tacoma, Washington is surging with travel intent up 220%, and nearby Snohomish County is close behind at 200% outside Seattle.
North of Houston, Montgomery County is the breakout star with travel intent up 540%, while Galveston County to the south is also growing, up 45%.
Fort Worth is on a hot streak, with nearly five times the traveler demand in Dallas, a primary market. Travel intent is up 175%.**
From coast to coast, get ready to score new business.
When it comes to finding a place to stay, fans are searching for favorable pricing and availability. Destinations beyond the match are piquing travelers' interest, meaning partners across the greater region are positioned to capture the primetime high intent.
Click through the maps to see the Spillover effect: where fans actually stay**
International travelers for the win
In many host cities, international travel is outpacing domestic plans. These guests often turn their trips into longer multi-day stays and book their plans well ahead of time, and they invest more in their overall experience, making them some of the highest-value travelers you can attract during the tournament.
Expand each section to see how the city's data come to life**
International travel intent has skyrocketed by 1220%, compared to the 75% growth from domestic travelers
255% increase in international travel intent vs. 5% from domestic travel intent
Travel intent from travelers abroad has increased 185%
International travel intent has increased 225% in Dallas
International travel intent has increased by 45% vs. 20% domestic travel intent
TAP INTO DEMAND
Inspire fans to extend their trips
Get in the game to win bookings
Sports fans are passionate, and they’re planners, too. With all the excitement about summer lineup, bookings are happening roughly six months earlier than in previous years.** Your highest-value guests are deciding long before the first whistle. There’s still time to capture both early and last-minute demand if you know where to focus.
Reach fans as they hunt for deals
Keep rates competitive and show up where they search. You can score new business by pairing fair pricing with stronger placement in search results so deal-seeking fans find you first.
Launch a “there’s still time to stay” campaign
In cities like Atlanta, searches are high, but bookings lag behind. Use targeted creative that speaks directly to match days and fan experiences to convert undecided soccer fans.
Connect with fans around the world
International travelers are turning trips into longer stays and looking beyond host cities for value and experience. List your inventory with Expedia Group and speak directly to these high-intent guests.
Be discoverable, not just bookable
Distribute your inventory across Expedia Group brands and our B2B marketplace, and optimize your pricing, availability, and policies so you show up in more searches and turn fan interest into stays.
Capture fans as they make summer plans
Travelers want the best value when they’re booking a whirlwind experience like traveling to a game. In many host cities, demand is booming and prices are climbing fast, making it harder for both travelers and lodging partners to keep pace.
The upside? It’s not just about the host cities.
See the scoreboard below to see an example of how some cities are making the most out of fan travel intent. Low conversion markets can still win more bookings by focusing on increasing their visibility.
You can keep rates attractive and focus on being discovered to win over new travelers and drive more bookings, even as prices spike in the primary host markets.
Top-growth markets like Monterrey, Philadelphia, Dallas, Mexico City, and Guadalajara are turning high intent into bookings, whereas conversion-gap markets like Atlanta and Miami show high intent but more room to grow bookings.**
Fill the stands with high-intent travelers
Make this moment count
Turn this surge of passionate travelers into revenue with Expedia Group tools that help you show up where fans are searching.
Fans are booking big trips earlier
Sports fans are planning sooner, traveling farther, and often spending more on their stays, creating a powerful opportunity for hotels and vacation rentals to drive bookings in big ways.
Loyalty is driven by emotions
For many fans, travel decisions are driven by passion, not just price. If you can meet them with the right message and experience, you can earn outsized loyalty and repeat business.
How to get started
From early planners to last-minute bookers, the surge in sports tourism is reshaping when, where, and how fans travel.
List your inventory
Travelers are actively searching, so make sure your property is visible, competitively priced, and open to last-minute bookings. Visit Partner Central to review your rate plans and availability windows across key tournament dates. That's one of the fastest ways to capture demand already in market.
Reach soccer fans with targeted advertising
Get in front of fans who are still deciding where to stay by using Expedia Group advertising solutions like TravelAds and Accelerator to tap into our first-party data, reach travelers while they’re still considering options, and turn more searches into stays.
Not yet a partner?
There are so many ways to bring in business beyond the game. Cities outside the main event are positioned to add value. Attract both regional and international travelers with the ideas to extend their trips. How? Share your local highlights and messaging with pricing. Spoiler alert: That’s the biggest upside for you.
Frequently asked questions
Spillover markets are nearby cities and counties where fans stay when host‑city prices, availability, or convenience drive them to look a little further afield. For example, Contra Costa County and Oakland near San Francisco, or Montgomery County and Galveston County around Houston.
Across almost every host city, the share of bookings are made roughly 25 weeks, which is around six months, before kickoff has increased significantly compared with previous years, suggesting that high‑value fans are locking in their stays much earlier than usual.
In many host cities, international travel demand is growing faster than domestic demand, and these guests typically stay longer, book further in advance and spend more per trip, making them a particularly high‑value audience for hotels.
Through Partner Central, hotels can manage rates, length‑of‑stay rules, and availability across key tournament dates, while advertising solutions like TravelAds and Accelerator help increase visibility in search results and reach soccer fans still deciding where to stay.
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*Predict HQ data, 2026
**Expedia Group first-party data, 2026
The research was conducted by PredictHQ in collaboration with Expedia Group, using PredictHQ event intelligence and Expedia Group first‑party travel intent data. The data, collected in April 2026, assesses travel intent, lodging demand, predicted spend, predicted ‘spillover’ spend, and demand into nearby regions for host cities, international market shifts, booking windows, and average daily rate (ADR) year over year.