Some host cities are raising hotel taxes ahead of the World Cup to help offset costs associated with the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup is expected to be a major boon to the travel industry with an estimated 6.5 million attendees, according to a March report from FIFA and the World Trade Organization Secretariat.
While the report says host cities can anticipate record occupancy rates and an economic boost, it will come at a cost. Politico reports that infrastructure improvements and other costs tied to hosting matches can cost between US$100 million and US$200 million per city. Some cities are looking to raise taxes on travellers to offset the costs.
The tournament will take place in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the US from 11 June to 19 July 2026. Here’s how some of the destinations are preparing.
Vancouver
Vancouver in 2023 started charging an additional 2.5 per cent Major Events Municipal and Regional District Tax on hotels and short-term rentals through 2030 to help pay for planning, staging and hosting the tournament. The tax increase is expected to generate roughly US$230 million in revenue.
Kansas City
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas is considering a one-year, 1-2 per cent hotel tax increase in 2026 for World Cup-related costs, according to local station KSHB 41. Kansas City’s current guest tax rate is 8 per cent.
Other cities near Kansas City have looked to increase short-term lodging taxes:
- Officials in Olathe, Kansas, in July agreed to hike the city’s hotel tax rate from 6 per cent to 9 per cent.
- Lawrence, Kansas, city commissioners agreed to increase its hotel tax to from 6 per cent to 8 per cent.
Washington
With Seattle named as one of the United States’ 11 host cities, Washington lawmakers have explored adding a 2 per cent tax on short-term stays between April and September 2026. A bill was introduced in February that would require 50 per cent of revenue allocated to state tourism programs.
Thurston County, home to one of the designated “fan zones” outside Seattle that will offer live entertainment and interactive experiences tied to the tournament, launched a 2 per cent hotel tax on 1 January 2025.
