Out of the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup's 16 host cities, Seattle is seeing the least growth in demand for short-term rentals around game days.
In fact, demand for short-term rentals in Seattle on World Cup game dates is down 2% year over year, according to AirDNA data released Monday. Total bookings are down 4.4% from a year ago.
The number is a contrast to other host cities, where demand for World Cup dates is up 16% year over year, with the steepest growth concentrated in Mexico, according to AirDNA.
Can free tournament tickets for staying in an Airbnb change the calculus for Seattle?
Airbnb announced Wednesday that select homes will include free tickets to the World Cup through June and July.Â
Listings that include free tickets will feature a soccer ball icon as a highlight at the top of the listing page, according to an Airbnb news release. Once an Airbnb is booked, the host will share how each member of the party can access their free ticket to local games, “offering premium seats and great views of the pitch,†the release said.
Airbnb plans on giving out over 1,300 free tickets — including some surprise tickets gifted to guests already booked during the group stage, according to the news release.
