World Cup Boosts Short-Term Rental Demand in North America

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has significantly boosted international demand for short-term rentals (STRs) in North American host cities, reversing a sustained period of decline in foreign visitor bookings. Following 13 consecutive months of year-over-year decreases, international STR demand experienced a notable surge of 9.4% in June, coinciding with the group stages of the tournament. This growth rate subsequently moderated in July, increasing by 0.7% year over year, a substantial improvement from the 9.8% annual decline recorded in July 2025. The tournament, which concluded on July 19, 2026, with Spain defeating Argentina 1-0 at MetLife Stadium, has been credited with driving strong performance in vacation rental revenue across the 16 host cities. These cities collectively generated $1.33 billion in total STR revenue during the tournament period, an increase of $276.7 million compared to the previous year, according to data from AirDNA, a leading provider of STR data and analytics. This global sporting event provided a substantial stimulus to cross-border travel throughout North America, effectively counteracting a months-long downturn in international demand for vacation rentals, as detailed in AirDNA's July 2026 U.S. Short-Term Rental Review. Bram Gallagher, director of economics and forecasting at AirDNA, noted that while soccer fans were the primary drivers, contributing an "enormous and enduring boost" to host cities even after the games concluded, average daily rates (ADR) saw significant increases in most locations. In the United States specifically, revenue per available room (RevPAR) saw a year-over-year strengthening of 7.2% in July. Average daily rates (ADR) increased by 6.9%, and occupancy rates grew by 0.3%. Cross-border demand from Canada also showed positive trends, rising by 2.9% in June and 5.8% in July. However, Canadian demand for U.S. vacation rentals remains below pre-tariff levels, a situation attributed to the "Liberation Day" tariff announcements made prior to the current period, which impacted travel sentiment. The data indicates a recovery in international travel patterns, with the World Cup serving as a critical catalyst for the short-term rental market in the host regions.