PredictHQ and Expedia Group Project $8.1 Billion Traveler Spend for FIFA World Cup 2026 :: Hospitality Trends

Expedia Group has partnered with PredictHQ to integrate predictive demand intelligence into its Partner Central platform, with joint forecasts projecting traveler spend across North America’s host cities to exceed $8.1 billion USD between June and August 2026 during FIFA World Cup 2026.

Expedia Group has announced a partnership with PredictHQ to integrate event-based demand forecasting into Partner Central, the platform used by lodging partners to manage rates, inventory, and performance. This integration introduces PredictHQ’s event signals and predictive demand intelligence to lodging partners, providing access to forward-looking demand forecasts combined with traveler data from Expedia Group.

Joint forecasts from PredictHQ and Expedia Group project total traveler spending across accommodation, ground transportation, and food and beverage in North America’s host cities to exceed $8.1 billion USD between June and August 2026, an increase of nearly $750 million over the same period last year. The forecasts are based on data collected in February 2026 and focus on the period of a major soccer tournament taking place in North America.

Several cities are projected to see significant increases in traveler spending. Arlington, Texas, is expected to record the largest total spend increase, with traveler spend projected to exceed $562 million, representing a 135% year-over-year increase. Other cities with substantial projected increases include Foxborough, Massachusetts (161%), Kansas City, Missouri (73.4%), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (19.9%), and Houston, Texas (18.3%).

The forecasts also highlight surges in international demand. Expedia Group data indicates that inbound demand to Dallas from Japan and the UK is up 1,820% and 1,530%, respectively, compared to typical weeks. Additional routes showing four-digit growth include Brazil to Philadelphia and Germany to Houston. Demand from Australia to Seattle is reported to be rising by 400%.

Accommodation spending across host cities is projected to increase from $2.6 billion to $4.8 billion year-over-year between June and August 2026. The largest percentage increases in accommodation spending are expected in Arlington, Texas (369%), Foxborough, Massachusetts (310%), and Santa Clara, California (159%).

The research was conducted by PredictHQ in collaboration with Expedia Group. The data was collected in February 2026 and covers projected spend across accommodation, food and beverages, and ground transportation in North American host cities during the soccer tournament.