While the 2026 FIFA World Cup likely will bring a big bump up in international visitors to the U.S., there are some caveats.
When the FIFA World Cup arrives in 16 North American cities in summer 2026 — including 11 in the U.S. — it will bring a surge of global fans, teams and media with it. Analysts project that the tournament will generate more than one million international visits to the U.S., raising an important question for destinations and event stakeholders: Will the World Cup be enough to offset headwinds facing inbound international travel?
Forecasts suggest the answer is “partially.” According to industry estimates, roughly 60% of World Cup–related international trips — about 742,000 — would not occur without the tournament. Those visitors are expected to stay an average of 12 days, attend two matches, and spend more than $400 per day. One analysis suggests the World Cup could account for nearly one-third of the projected increase in foreign visitation to the U.S. in 2026, lifting total inbound travel substantially above a non-World Cup baseline year.
For destination marketing organizations (DMOs), hotels and venues in host cities, this represents a rare, high-impact demand driver. Cities hosting matches for teams with large, highly engaged fan bases — think England, France and Brazil — stand to benefit the most from international visitation, extended stays and premium spending tied to match schedules.
However, policy and perception risks may temper that upside.
President Trump’s recent executive orders suspending entry for most immigrants and non-immigrants from 19 countries, with proposals that could expand restrictions to more than 48 countries, have raised concerns across the global travel sector. While athletes, coaches and essential staff traveling for major sporting events such as the World Cup are explicitly exempt, fans from affected countries do not receive similar blanket waivers.
Even beyond the countries directly impacted, increased visa scrutiny, processing delays and a more complex entry environment may discourage some travelers. The administration’s proposal to require all visitors to disclose five years of social media history as part of the entry process has added to perceptions of friction, particularly among long-haul and first-time U.S. travelers.
There are also concerns about perception of safety and social stability. Immigration enforcement actions and related protests in major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, one of the U.S. host cities, have drawn international media attention. Advocacy organizations are already framing the World Cup as a flashpoint for broader debates around access and inclusion, which could influence travel decisions for both fans and corporate groups planning ancillary meetings and events around the tournament.
Analysts warn that these factors could suppress inbound tourism during what would otherwise be a record-setting year. Some forecasts project a drop of up to $29 billion in international visitor spending across 2025–2026, with World Cup gains partially offset by policy-driven declines. While travelers from currently restricted countries typically represent a small share — about 0.5% — of total U.S. arrivals, economists note that the symbolic impact and global messaging may have broader effects, particularly in soccer-centric markets sensitive to U.S. policy signals.
Oxford Economics expects teams and official delegations to travel largely as planned, while fans from restricted countries will mostly be excluded, aside from limited workarounds such as dual citizenship. More concerning is the potential “chilling effect” on travelers from non-restricted countries, which could result in shorter stays, delayed bookings or last-minute cancellations.
For host cities, this may translate into strong, but still softer-than-expected, international demand, with some hotel and event capacity backfilled by domestic travelers. While stadiums are still likely to sell out, the mix may skew more domestic than originally projected, potentially affecting per-visitor spend and length of stay.
Meeting planners, DMOs and event stakeholders likely can expect a significant World Cup-driven lift. However, the volatility of the situation means that proactive communication, friction-reducing services, and contingency planning around visa and geopolitical uncertainty will be essential to maximizing opportunity while managing risk in one of the largest global events ever hosted in the U.S.
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