- Navan: World Cup bookings up 46 percent to U.S.
- Philadelphia hotels booked 33 days earlier, largest U.S. shift.
- Los Angeles leads bleisure travel, stayovers up to 52 percent.
GLOBAL COMPANIES ARE increasing business travel bookings to 2026 World Cup host cities, with hotel and flight bookings up 46 percent to the U.S., according to Navan. Canada leads corporate travel, with bookings up 295 percent year-over-year and flight prices down 26 percent.
Average hotel prices in U.S. host cities are up 30 percent to $1,592 per trip compared to the same period last year, the report said. The highest booking volumes among U.S. host cities are in the San Francisco Bay Area, with average hotel bookings at $1,641 and New York/New Jersey, the Finals host, at $1,836.
“While headlines are focusing on softer-than-expected tourism demand and lagging leisure hotel bookings, our corporate data tells a different story,” said Dane Molter, Navan Group Travel Marketplace senior vice president. “Companies are embracing the World Cup as a can’t-miss event and travel to North America is surging. Businesses are using Navan to lock in bookings early and control spend.”
American Hotel & Lodging Association’s “FIFA World Cup 2026 Hotel Outlook” recently found that the hotel industry faces challenges as the U.S. prepares to co-host the tournament. Expected demand has not translated into strong hotel bookings and domestic travelers are outpacing international visitors.
For the tournament period, Los Angeles is the top destination for bleisure travel, with Saturday stayovers rising from 44 percent to 52 percent and hotel and flight bookings up 163 percent. Philadelphia hotels are booked 33 days earlier (from 59 to 91 days in advance), the largest shift in the U.S.
Meanwhile, Canada’s increase is driven by Toronto, where combined hotel and flight booking spend is up 486 percent. Travelers are booking earlier, with Toronto flights booked 51 days earlier (from 69 to 119 days in advance versus the same period in 2025), the largest shift among cities.
The data also shows which industries are driving the trend and how employees are traveling. The tech sector accounts for 51 percent of hotel and flight booking spend in host cities during the tournament period on the Navan platform. Professional services is the fastest-growing sector, with spend up 130 percent year over year.
A GSTV viewer survey conducted via MFour Mobile Research found that 41 percent are excited for the World Cup. Among those attending a match, 53 percent will drive at least one hour and many plan to travel five hours or more.
