The World Cup Winners So Far? Kansas City and Ranch Dressing
Photo Credit: Gillette Stadium, renamed Boston Stadium during the World Cup tournament, during the Scotland vs. Haiti match on June 13, 2026. Wikimedia Commons
Skift Take
Occupancy may have missed the mark, but hotels are benefitting from a spike in room rates — particularly in certain host markets.
The World Cup isn’t the only bracket with winners and losers this week: certain host cities and brands are capitalizing on the influx of international visitors drawn to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for the tournament.
While occupancies have fallen below hoteliers’ expectations, host cities at large are benefitting from a spike in room rates, according to CoStar data. Match day revenue per available room (RevPAR) was up more than 40% on average across host markets through June 20, with most markets seeing double-digit if not triple-digit growth.
Mexico was the clear leader in game day RevPAR gains, with Monterrey up nearly 280% on June 20, while Kansas City topped U.S. gains with RevPAR up 167% during the June 16 Argentina vs. Algeria match. The Bay Area also saw triple-digit growth that day, with the market benefitting from San Francisco’s Databricks Data + AI Summit.
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