Mike Brooks
Audio By Carbonatix
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, now less than three months away, promises to be the most expensive in the tournament’s nearly century-long history. And with nearly 4 million visitors expected in Dallas-Fort Worth alone, a serious chunk of that change is expected to make its way to North Texas.
Specifically hoping to cash in are the North Texas short-term rental owners who have regarded the World Cup as a once-in-a-lifetime hosting opportunity. This comes after years of legal back-and-forth as various North Texas municipalities have attempted to ban the majority of short-term rentals through unsuccessful, legally dubious ordinances.
Now the World Cup serves as something of a victory lap for the hospitality-focused homeowners. One Deloitte survey has predicted that Airbnb owners across the U.S. will make around $212 million over the tournament’s month-long duration.
Last we checked, Airbnb data suggested that bookings in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have increased 260% compared to last year’s demand. Additionally, nearly 10% more listings have been put online to meet the demand.
Still, that statistical wave has looked more like a trickle in reality. Dallas Short Term Rental Alliance spokesperson Linda Young assures us that interest in bookings during the World Cup dates remains high, but that some footie fans may be more of the last-minute-planning type.
“We’re seeing strong search interest for [the] FIFA dates, but not a broad wave of confirmed bookings yet. That matches what hosts are reporting on the ground — inquiries are up, but reservations are still slow,” Young said. “The current pattern is high interest and limited early conversions.”
What’s Available?
“Major events like the FIFA World Cup create meaningful economic opportunities for local hosts, many of whom use the extra income to offset the rising cost of living,” An Airbnb spokesperson told the Observer in a statement. “At the same time, guests still have a wide range of listing options to choose from — as of late February, roughly 80% of available listings across host cities were priced under $500 a night on average.”
Hearing that it’s still a buyer’s market less than 80 days out from the tournament, we decided to poke around on Airbnb to see what options are available for those looking to come to Texas for the matches.
In this scenario we’re looking for tickets during the first week of North Texas games, which would allow us to see The Netherlands vs. Japan and England vs. Croatia. We decided to look for a whole week because the tournament’s hype has led many hosts to implement a minimum-stay requirement that is typically at least three or four nights.
The wife and three kids are along for the ride, of course. FIFA is a family affair. And with the kids in tow, staying within a 15-minute walk of the stadium would be preferable. (Besides, for the sake of this exercise, we’re making ourselves European, which means we like walkability.)
To meet these demands, there are a few STR options in the $5,500 range. In general, though, a majority of listings within walking distance of the stadium are significantly more expensive.
For $23,000, you could stay in a tricked-out Arlington McMansion that is less than a 15-minute walk from the stadium. The five-bedroom abode boasts a hot tub, karaoke setup, firepit and minigolf course in the backyard.
A four-bedroom townhouse, also walking distance from the stadium, is listed for $14,200 and touts a rooftop view of Jerry World. A three-bedroom bungalow in the stadium’s adjoining neighborhood has been discounted from $18,200 to $16,400 — a small price to pay for the backyard pickleball court.
Prices mellow the farther we get from the stadium, naturally. Across Dallas, that same week of housing for our family of five looks to cost more in the $3,000 range.
On average, Dallas-area Airbnb hosts are expected to earn $4,400 on average over the tournament’s duration, Deloitte found. But as hosts set their own prices, some could try to grab more.
The Athletic recently spoke to Anthony Zoric, a Croatian-American soccer superfan who has managed to get tickets to every match Croatia is slated for and any they could potentially make. Eerily similar to our hypothetical, Zoric booked an Airbnb for his family within walking distance of AT&T Stadium last year, but the stay was cancelled by the host shortly after the draw ceremony that determined which teams will play where.
A few hours after he was alerted to the cancellation, Zoric noticed that his $327 two-night stay had been relisted at $907 with a minimum five-night booking requirement.
“I was a bit disappointed that … the owners of the place would do that,” Zoric said.
Other Spending Pains
Of the nine matches to be held in Arlington, five will take place during the group stage, and the matchups are already set. To buy a ticket to one of those games on the resale market, you’ll be spending around a grand per ticket at minimum, and the high prices have already drawn ire.
Last week, the fan organization Football Supporters Europe filed a formal complaint at the European Commission over the “sky-high” ticket prices. The filing accuses FIFA of imposing “excessive” prices determined through “opaque and unfair” means. It points to tournament final tickets at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium costing seven times what they did in Qatar in 2022.
At the end of the day, though, this is the World Cup we’re talking about, and high ticket prices aren’t likely to keep fans at bay.
We do hope those dedicated fans have already bought their airfare tickets for the games, however, as the ongoing war in Iran has threatened to further imperil gas prices across the world. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, United Airlines Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby warned that airfare prices could increase as much as 20% to offset the surging oil prices.
Still, Dallas-area hosts aren’t discouraged.
“We expect demand to build,” said Young.
