Hotels have a big World Cup problem: Bookings are running far below projections

General view of Arrowhead Stadium, in Kansas City, Missouri, which will be hosting some of the World Cup matches this summer. Jamie Squire/ North America hide caption toggle caption Jamie Squire/ North America With only six weeks to go before the start of the World Cup, hotels at most of the cities hosting the tournament are facing a major problem: Bookings are running far below what they had expected. For some metro areas such as Kansas City, bookings are running even below what a typical June or July would bring, according to an industry survey released on Monday by the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The report was conducted last month and a spokesperson said it's based on 205 respondents "representing hotel operators and owners, many of whom own multiple hotel portfolios across the country and across multiple World Cup markets." AHLA said the disappointing bookings stem from fewer than expected international travelers and large cancellations by FIFA — the organizer of the World Cup — leaving hotels with an unexpectedly large number of empty rooms. "Despite more than 5 million tickets sold (for World Cup matches), this demand has not yet translated into strong hotel bookings," the AHLA said in the report. The disappointment comes after the hotel industry was bracing for a strong summer in 2026. The World Cup is taking place across the U.S., Canada and Mexico — with 11 U.S. cities hosting games. In addition, the U.S. …