How the World Cup Impacts Real Estate

For years, cities have treated the World Cup as an economic development tool disguised as a sporting event.

Now that the tournament is underway across North America, the real estate industry is getting a clearer picture of which markets are actually prepared to capitalize on it.

Take New York.

The region landed the biggest prize of all when MetLife Stadium secured the final. Supporters project the tournament will generate roughly $3.3 billion in economic activity, attract 1.2 million visitors and support 26,000 jobs across the New York-New Jersey metro area, according to a Colliers report. Yet questions remain about how much of that spending will ultimately reach local real estate owners and businesses.

Some local officials have already warned that the public costs of hosting could outweigh the direct financial gains. Hotel bookings have trailed expectations, and city leaders recently rejected calls to temporarily loosen New York’s strict short-term rental regulations.

That decision may prove costly. Airbnb and business groups argued that limiting short-term rentals during the tournament could push visitors and spending across the Hudson River into New Jersey, where regulations are less restrictive.

Just steps from MetLife Stadium, the 3 million-square-foot American Dream Mall is positioned to capture a share of the millions of visitors expected to pass through the region. The sprawling retail and entertainment complex, complete with an indoor ski slope, water park, theme park and hundreds of stores and restaurants, is a reminder that major sporting events often benefit a broader scope of retail, entertainment and mixed-use assets, not just hotels.

Over in Los Angeles, short-term rental hosts have been capitalizing on World Cup demand. Airbnb rates near SoFi Stadium surged well above normal levels, with some properties commanding several times their typical nightly rate.

In a broader sense, U.S. cities ironically haven’t dominated hotel demand despite hosting most of the tournament’s matches. Occupancy rates in several host cities in Canada and Mexico have outpaced many of their American counterparts, aided by lower costs and, in some cases, fewer concerns about travel logistics.

Between expensive tickets, airfare and accommodations, many fans are making careful decisions about where to spend their money. A recent Realtor.com analysis found that the cheapest tickets in cities such as Miami, Dallas, Atlanta and New York rival or exceed a typical monthly mortgage payment in those markets.

At the same time, hotel operators continue to bet on a wave of late bookings. Travel and hospitality executives say World Cup visitors historically make plans closer to match dates, and booking patterns remain highly dependent on which teams advance.

In Miami, brokers and developers are taking advantage of the action to boost the region’s slowing residential market.

Developers are hosting watch parties, offering incentives and using the tournament to introduce international buyers to projects across South Florida. The region is expected to welcome between 600,000 and 1 million visitors during the tournament, with local officials projecting an economic impact nearly three times larger than the boost generated by Super Bowl LIV.

For developers, it’s an opportunity to market South Florida’s lifestyle, business climate and residential projects to a global audience already familiar with the region through its ties to Latin America. Buyers from Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Mexico remain some of the region’s most active foreign purchasers, and industry professionals say the World Cup is helping accelerate deals that might have otherwise taken months longer to close.

The strategy follows a similar playbook as Art Basel, Formula One and other global events that have played a role in Miami’s evolution. The goal is to convert visitors into future residents, investors and second-home owners.

That may ultimately become the tournament’s most important real estate impact.

Agents in Boston are already noticing that the World Cup is disrupting normal housing market rhythms, Inman reported. Some homeowners are pulling listings off the market to use their properties during the tournament, while others are exploring short-term rental opportunities. Longer term, brokers see potential for international visitors to discover cities they may eventually choose to invest in.

The same thinking is driving development decisions elsewhere. Dallas, which will host nine matches, was leading the nation in hotel construction as of 2025, with more than 24,000 rooms planned or underway. Local leaders project the tournament could generate roughly $2.1 billion in economic impact, more than triple the estimated benefit from the 1994 World Cup, according to the Colliers report.

The development pipeline aligns with a broader belief that the event is very much a long-term growth story tied to population gains, business expansion and infrastructure investment. The lasting value frequently comes after the crowds leave.

The World Cup may still deliver the tourism boost many cities anticipated. The real winners will be the markets that can turn a month of global attention into years of investment.

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