Short term rental giant Airbnb is offering a 750 dollar incentive to attract first time hosts in cities preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The company described the move as its largest ever incentive for new hosts as demand surges ahead of the global football tournament scheduled for mid 2026.
Who Qualifies for the Incentive
The payout is available to new entire home hosts who successfully complete their first guest stay between now and July 31.
The offer applies across the 16 North American host cities that will welcome millions of visitors during the tournament. The 2026 edition will be co hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Massive Ticket Demand
FIFA recently confirmed it received more than 500 million ticket requests during a 33 day application window, highlighting the extraordinary global interest in the tournament.
Beyond the three host nations, the highest number of ticket applications came from Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia.
Rental Prices Surge Ahead of Tournament
Demand for accommodation is already pushing prices higher. According to travel data firm AirDNA, vacation rental prices on match days have increased by as much as 50 percent compared to last year in some host cities.
Airbnb expects hosts in the New York New Jersey area, Boston and Los Angeles to earn the most, projecting potential per host earnings above 5000 dollars in those markets during the competition.
Boost for US Tourism
The World Cup is also expected to support international inbound travel to the United States, which was down 5.4 percent through November 2025, according to the US National Travel and Tourism Office.
With millions of fans set to travel across North America, short term rental platforms are positioning themselves to capture a major share of the expected tourism boom.
