Hotels optimistic ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup despite lagging bookings
Seattle hotels prepare for FIFA World Cup amid booking concerns
Seattle hotels are gearing up for a surge of visitors ahead of the 2026 World Cup. While demand is expected to rise, officials say bookings have been slower than anticipated and costs remain a concern.
SEATTLE - The 2026 FIFA World Cup is less than two months away and Seattle's hotels are hoping for an influx of people from around the globe.
But there are some concerns about global instability and rising costs.
For hotels in Seattle and around the Puget Sound region, this summer has the potential to be big. They just want to make sure visitors know they're here and ready.
What they're saying:
"We started booking up for this in September, October 2025," Hotel Crocodile General Manager Toña Zubia said.
At the Hotel Crocodile in Belltown, entertainment is steps away with live music and performances just downstairs.
That's why Zubia feels especially ready for 2026 FIFA World Cup fans.
"They're coming in, they know what's up, they've done their research," she said.
By the numbers:
In its annual meeting last month, Visit Seattle revised its economic impact for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, from $929 million down to $845 million.
Leaders noted hotel bookings were lagging, but with optimism.
"In Qatar, which I recognize is different for many reasons, 83% of bookings were inside of 60 days and an astounding 47% were inside of six days," Chief Business Officer Kelly Saling said.
Still, rising costs, global instability, jet fuel prices, and canceled flights are all concerns.
Some reports show host cities worry the economic benefits won't materialize.
FIFA officials said it reduced the number of hotel rooms it had on hold.
A spokesperson clarified that no rooms were canceled as they were never booked in the first instance.
"Ahead of any World Cup, FIFA places a large hold on rooms across various hotel properties well in advance of the tournament. As we get closer to the tournament and attendance numbers are more concrete, FIFA adjusts that inventory accordingly, as we have a better sense of the actual inventory we will need. These rooms were set aside for FIFA staff, media organizations, and tournament operational stakeholders. FIFA exercised a standard contractual provision consistent with large-scale global events. FIFA has exercised similar opt-out clauses at previous World Cups," the spokesperson said.
But they said ticket demand is unprecedented.
It's not just Seattle, either.
The Puyallup Tribe, and cities like Tacoma and Bellevue, are preparing to host fans, too.
Despite the shifting economic outlook, the region has its eyes on the prize.
"We're ready. Prepared. Very excited," Zubia said.
As of Friday, we looked at hotel prices for the first match and found prices between about $400 and a little more than $1,000 a night.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Dan Griffin.