The World Cup in Miami: A Missed Opportunity or a Last-Minute Comeback?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be the largest in history, has arrived in Miami with a bang, but not the one expected. The city, once brimming with anticipation, now faces a potential missed opportunity. While the tournament is expected to provide a boost to Miami's tourism, the reality is far from the sky-high expectations set by FIFA and local hospitality leaders.
The issue lies in the lack of demand. Despite the hype, reservations aren't matching the hyped expectations. FIFA has returned rooms reserved for fans at several hotels, and fewer hotels signed contracts with the tournament's organizing body than anticipated. The global soccer tournament is still expected to provide a boost, but it's not the size Miami hospitality leaders had hoped for.
One of the hotels that has booked the most rooms so far is Loews Miami Beach. The Collins Avenue resort, which completed a $55 million renovation in December, initially reserved about a third of its 790 rooms for the World Cup. Most of those have been booked, but FIFA returned some to the hotel. As of May 5, Loews Miami Beach still had rooms available for the World Cup, with a low-end price of $419 per night on June 15, the day of the Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Several other hotels that signed contracts are also facing the same issue. FIFA is returning blocks of rooms due to lack of demand, and those hotels are now offering rooms at significantly lower prices than three months ago. The situation is dire, with not much time left before the first whistle. The World Cup opens June 11 in Mexico City, with Mexico playing South Africa. Miami is one of 11 U.S. host cities and will have seven games at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens spanning June 15 to July 18.
The diminished interest is due to several factors, including high ticket costs and FIFA's use of the secondary market for the first time. Overall travel costs in the United States aren't helping either. The uncertainties surrounding President Donald Trump's immigration policies and sagging confidence in his leadership are also contributing to the situation.
James Rendall and two friends, all Scots, were initially thrilled that their country qualified for the World Cup. However, they decided to stay home due to the U.S.-Iran war leading to higher oil prices, airfare, and general volatility across the world. Their decision came before the U.S.-Iran war led to higher oil prices, airfare, and general volatility across the world.
The hotel booking numbers are also telling. Of the seven matches in Miami Gardens, the one with the highest hotel occupancy is Brazil-Scotland on June 24, with bookings totaling 31%. However, the other five matches show tepid demand, with two games, June 15 and July 18, seeing decreased bookings compared to 2025.
The situation is not unique to Miami. The U.S. overall is underperforming, with bookings in Atlanta and New York also down compared to the same dates one year ago. However, Miami is faring better than the others, with higher booking growth compared to last year.
The hoteliers are hoping for a last-minute comeback. At the Gale, D'Agostino says, '30 days prior to the game, you'll see a lot more bookings.' Kucuk, the Loews executive, notes that if their current pace of reservations continues, the hotel will have a better summer than it did one year ago. 'We'll take a summer with the World Cup than one without the World Cup.'
However, the question remains: is it too late for a last-minute comeback? The estimated occupancy for June and July in the Miami metro area is 73.2% and 71.5%, respectively, as of March 31. While this indicates an increase in activity from the World Cup, it's a modest one. The average forecasted daily rate in June is $194.91 per night, and in July, it's $185.40, with a 10% and 9.6% increase, respectively, compared to the same time in 2025.
In my opinion, the World Cup in Miami is a missed opportunity, but it's not too late for a last-minute comeback. The hoteliers are hoping for a surge in bookings in the next six weeks, and with the right marketing and promotions, they may just pull it off. However, the question remains: will it be enough to save the tournament from being a missed opportunity?
