Airbnb Thursday announced the launch of an incentive program to offer $750 to new home hosts in any of the 16 cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, who welcome their first guests through July 1 for the 2026 World Cup.
The company said the incentive program was driven by new data that showed high demand for stays on Airbnb during the World Cup. Searches for stays in host cities increased by an average of 80% compared to the same period last year.
Millions of soccer fans are expected to attend the World Cup this summer. Deloitte, a United Kingdom-based accounting firm, estimates that residents of host cities could earn $3,000 on average by renting their space during the tournament, according to Airbnb.
An online survey commissioned by Airbnb and conducted by Focaldata in December 2025 found that of 6,000 respondents, almost two-thirds said they would consider renting out space in their homes during the World Cup.
Almost half, about 49%, of respondents said earning extra income would be their primary motivation for hosting. Nearly 90% of respondents said the extra income would have a significant or moderate positive impact on their current financial situation.
About 40% of respondents said they would use the extra income to help clear debts, another 40% said they would use the income to cover living expenses, and about 33% of respondents said they would use the income to make home improvements.
“As the world’s biggest sporting event comes to North America, Airbnb is launching its biggest new host incentive ever,” Dave Stephenson, chief business officer for Airbnb, said in a statement.
“Demand for World Cup stays on Airbnb is surging, giving residents of host cities the opportunity to boost their incomes by sharing their homes and the communities they love. There’s truly never been a better time to become a host on Airbnb,” Stephenson added.