World Cup Boondoggle: FIFA canceling tens of thousands of hotel reservations

Will it truly be a World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup was projected to be a financial windfall for the United States when it was first devised. However, too many obstacles face the event which is to be held in June in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Now, it is being called a “boondoggle,” though the competition may be great for viewers on television. Things are so bad that FIFA is now cutting back on its hopes for the event, and that could cost American cities, which has sunk large amounts of money into the preparation, major economic losses.

U.S. reputation one of the reasons for that

One magazine referred to it as the “Trump Slump,” because of immigration restrictions, tariff fallout, and the Iran war. The reality is that the U.S. loss in its global reputation will be costly. So much so that FIFA is canceling reservations as it becomes obvious that it will not live up to expectations,

Panicked U.S. hotels are slashing room rates for the World Cup amid a demand shortfall, exacerbated by what executives believe is being driven by a surge in anti-American sentiment.

Industry executives had hopes that FIFA’s World Cup would revive last year’s slump in travel to the country. Last year, FIFA projected that millions of international visitors would give the U.S. a $30.5 billion economic boost.

But that demand hasn’t materialized, forcing FIFA to begin cancelling tens of thousands of reserved rooms in host cities across the country. Eleven U.S. cities will be hosting matches during the World Cup, scheduled from June 11 through July 19.

Lior Sekler, chief commercial officer at hotel operator HRI Hospitality, told The Financial Times the Trump administration is partially to blame for the slump.

“Obviously, people’s desire to come to the United States right now is down,” said Sekler, pointing to the unrest caused by Trump’s war on Iran and his hardline immigration crackdown.

Isabel Van Brugen, “Trump Chill Hits World Cup Demand as Panicked

Hotels Slash Rates,” The Daily Beast, April 15, 2026

A “boondoggle”?

As an analysis from AI notes,

The 2026 World Cup is shaping up to be a logistical and environmental "boondoggle" due to its massive 48-team, 104-match format spanning three countries. Projected as a high-pollution, high-cost event, critics point to immense travel distances, inflated ticket prices ($500–$2000+), and immense taxpayer subsidies as indicators of a bloated, fan-unfriendly tournament.

Ticket prices are roughly three times higher than the previous edition, making it unaffordable for many fans, according to reports. Some fans report that FIFA has

also retroactively changed seat allocations for premium, high-priced tickets, leading to dissatisfaction.

AI, 2026

Headwinds

The reality is that this could be a major problem for a variety of reasons,

But with the tournament just over two months away, geopolitical shocks and immigration obstacles in the U.S. are threatening to discourage international visitors and potentially dim the World Cup’s initially rosy ambitions.

“You’re seeing a number of headwinds coming to what many thought was going to be a crowning and incredibly successful event,” said Mark Conrad, a professor of law and ethics at Fordham University’s business school and director of its sports business concentration.

All this turmoil spells trouble for the single biggest sporting event on the planet, according to Conrad. There will be 104 matches total, most of which will take place in the U.S. across 11 cities. Matches will also be played in five cities across Canada and Mexico. Yet, international fans may have more trouble attending games in the U.S. 

The Trump administration has made it difficult or inconvenient for foreigners to visit the U.S. Some of these policies include a sweeping travel ban that would prevent fans from qualifying teams such as Iran, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo from attending games in the U.S. All three teams have games scheduled in the U.S. 

Even travelers who aren’t banned still face other hurdles. As part of Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the price of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) doubled to $40 from $21 for many European visitors. Europe has 16 teams in the tournament. The base price of non-immigrant visas, such as tourist visas, for citizens of countries not eligible for ESTA rose to $185 from $160 previously. And while it’s not yet being collected, a $250 “visa integrity fee” would bring the total price of tourist visas from countries like Mexico and Brazil to $435 per person.

Fortune Magazine

The best place to enjoy this will be watching on TV from home, which will not cost much.