Hotel bookings in Vancouver have dropped ahead of FIFA 2026 despite early fears of packed rooms and soaring demand across the city.
For months, Vancouver was warned about a massive hotel crunch during FIFA 2026.
Now, the opposite seems to be happening.
New reports show hotel bookings across Vancouver have dropped nearly 20 per cent for June, even as the FIFA World Cup gets closer. The surprising slowdown is raising questions about whether sky high prices and expensive tickets are pushing fans away.
Hotel Rooms Are Still Sitting Empty
When Vancouver secured seven FIFA World Cup matches, tourism experts predicted hotels would sell out quickly across the city.
Instead, many hotels are still waiting to fill rooms just weeks before kickoff.
Industry data shared in recent reports shows Vancouver hotel occupancy for June currently sits far below earlier expectations. Similar trends are also appearing in several other World Cup host cities across North America.
High Prices Could Be Turning Fans Away
Travel costs appear to be one of the biggest reasons behind the weaker demand.
Fans travelling to Vancouver say ticket prices, hotel rates, and overall trip costs have become difficult to justify. Some supporters told reporters they saw resale tickets climbing into the thousands of dollars.
Hospitality experts also say Vancouver’s already expensive hotel market became even more costly once FIFA demand was added into the mix.
At one point, concerns over rising accommodation prices became so serious that First Nations communities warned medical travel plans could be affected during the tournament.
FIFA Reportedly Releasing Hotel Blocks
Reports suggest FIFA has also started releasing large blocks of reserved hotel rooms in several host cities after demand failed to match projections.
Some analysts believe early pricing strategies may have backfired by making trips feel out of reach for regular fans.
Meanwhile, social media discussions around Vancouver’s World Cup plans continue to grow, with many users criticizing both accommodation costs and ticket pricing.
Vancouver Still Expected to See Huge Crowds
Despite slower hotel bookings, officials still expect FIFA 2026 to bring major crowds and global attention to Vancouver.
The city will host seven matches at BC Place during the tournament, which begins in June 2026.
Governments and organizers continue investing heavily into transportation, security, infrastructure, and fan experiences ahead of the event. However, debate is growing over whether the economic payoff will match the enormous public spending tied to the tournament.
Fans Could Wait Longer Before Booking
Travel experts say many soccer fans may simply be delaying plans until ticket prices fall closer to match day.
Others believe visitors could stay outside Vancouver or travel between multiple host cities instead of remaining in one place for the full tournament.
Even with the slower start, tourism officials still expect activity to increase once the tournament officially begins and international fans start arriving in larger numbers.
