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Kansas City hotel bookings for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are among the lowest of all host cities, according to a report from the American Hotel and Lodging Association, but local tourism and hospitality leaders say it is too early to sound the alarm.
Visit KC President and CEO Kathy Nelson addressed the booking figures Thursday at the organization's annual Tourism Outlook event, pointing to positive travel indicators she says show momentum is building.
"Increases from key international markets are substantial. The Netherlands have grown more than 100%, Argentina more than 650%, and Ecuador more than 1,100%," Nelson said.
Nelson acknowledged that current federal immigration policy has made the United States less appealing to some international travelers, but said the city's response is what matters most.
"People show up, yeah, there's a little thing with politics going on that I cannot control, but what we can control is how we show up and how we welcome, and how we support this. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. We didn't work 10 years for this to be a flop," Nelson said.
Visit KC's research indicates international travelers from countries like Argentina typically don't book accommodations until about a month before travel.
Nelson said that pattern helps explain the current booking numbers and that she expects them to rise.
"There may be a little bit fewer people, but that's still hundreds of thousands of people. This will be the biggest event ever in our city," Nelson said.
Jeff Keeley, general manager of the Intercontinental Kansas City at the Plaza, echoed that measured optimism earlier this week.
"It's probably not the bloom that we were expecting, but it's still early," Keeley said.
Keeley also noted that late-booking travelers still have time to secure rooms.
"There's ample opportunity for those last-minute people to come in and make reservations," Keeley said.
Ryan Hiser, owner of AIDA KC, offered a similar take on the situation.
"The World Cup is — I don't think it's quite as we expected it — but I don't think it's as bad as some people say," Hiser said.
While the AHLA report places Kansas City hotel bookings at the bottom among World Cup host cities, Nelson and local hospitality leaders say the focus now should be on welcoming whoever arrives.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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