Soccer May Bring 750,000 to Washington Next Year. Is Your Short-Term Rental Program Ready?

The FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026^TM is arriving in the Pacific Northwest in June 2026. Seattle will host six matches, and Vancouver, BC, will host seven. Nine other cities throughout the state have been designated as official World Cup ^TM Fan Zones, with some zones also serving as base camps for the various international soccer teams.

SeattleFWC26, a hub for upcoming events and community watch parties, estimates Washington State will receive 750,000 visitors. While visitors will be primarily concentrated in central Puget Sound, cities throughout the state will likely experience an influx of tourists for the world’s most popular sporting event. With an average length of stay predicted to be nine days, many visitors are already booking short-term rentals (STRs) for their soccer vacations.

This blog, the second we have published dedicated to helping Washington local governments prepare for World Cup 2026^TM provides helpful tips for cities and counties that may want to review their STR programs in preparation for the influx of fans seeking temporary housing.

What Are the Potential Economic Impacts for Short-Term Rentals?

The Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce has partnered with SeattleFWC26 and King County to provide resources to small businesses on its World Cup Ready website. The partnership predicts World Cup 2026^TM will generate $929 million economic benefit in Washington, with $106.5 million total state and local taxes generated. Similar economic benefits will occur in other host cities throughout North America. 

Short-term rental platforms and North American-based STR hosts are moving to take advantage of this windfall. Airbnb has entered into a global partnership with FIFA to promote the 2026 World Cup^TM and other international soccer tournaments.  Airbnb expects over 380,000 guests to use its platform for stays during the FIFA World Cup 2026^TM, with its hosts poised to earn up to $210 million. It is launching a $5 million Host City Impact Program to support initiatives that benefit local communities.

Companies that support STR hosts, such as Turno, have also published guides for hosts to  boost bookings during the big event. A new STR platform has been created specifically focused on housing for 2026 soccer travelers. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Short-Term Rental Alliance is hosting a World Cup Hosting Crash Course to encourage homeowners to create STRs to meet the demand in that host city.

The final tournament draw is scheduled for December 2025. At that time, STR bookings will likely increase dramatically, as soccer fans know which location will be hosting their home teams and which will be hosting team matches.

How Can Local Governments Prepare?

There are a number of approaches Washington cities, towns, and counties may want to consider. In the metro area of Kansas City, most jurisdictions are not planning changes to their STR regulations or bans. However, cities such as Parkville, Missouri, are temporarily relaxing STR regulations in 2026 to take advantage of the close proximity to Kansas City and the potential economic benefit this may bring. STR operators will still need to obtain a permit, but limitations on the total number of STRs will be lifted.

MRSC has identified 21 Washington local governments that have adopted STR ordinances since MRSC last published a blog about STRs in 2021. Most included measures aimed at balancing the economic opportunities of STRs with maintaining a healthy supply of long-term rental housing and ensuring public health and safety (The purpose statement in  Bellingham’s STR code is a good example).  To date, no examples appear to specifically address the expected temporary increase in demand in 2026.

Other Washington jurisdictions have not yet experienced noticeable impacts from STRs and have not adopted an STR program. However, with the increased demand expected in 2026, those jurisdictions may want to consider adopting an STR ordinance in the very near future to address potential impacts in their community. This is especially the case for jurisdictions located relatively close to Seattle or any of the nine Fan Zones. 

Even those jurisdictions not located near a Fan Zone or Seattle may want to take advantage of the economic opportunity that increased tourism will provide during the World Cup 2026^TM. Existing STR ordinances could be amended to temporarily remove or raise limits on the number or type of STRs permitted and/or how many STRs are allowed for each property or operator. However, current requirements for permits and operating conditions for STRs should generally be maintained, as well as health and safety requirements.

Examples of STR Ordinances

For jurisdictions adopting new or amended STR programs, below are some provisions in ordinances recently adopted by Washington local governments for consideration. All requirements of RCW 64.37 must also still be met.

• Bridgeport, Normandy Park, Snohomish, Spokane – Requires operators have a business licenses and/or separate STR permits
• Aberdeen, Newport, Port Angeles – Requires safety inspections as part of the STR permit renewal process
• Anacortes, Brewster, Quincy – Allows STRs in certain districts or areas
• Bainbridge Island, Moses Lake, SeaTac – Places limits on number of occupants/unit
• Bellingham, Entiat, Gig Harbor – Sets a maximum number of STR’s per operator or property
• Index, Lake Stevens, Vancouver – Places caps on total number of STRs allowed within the jurisdiction

Conclusion

The FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026 ^TM will bring hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world to the Pacific Northwest. While the actual matches will occur in Seattle and Vancouver, BC, sponsored activities, team training sites, and Fan Zones will be located throughout the state. With most visitors planning to stay for a week or more, there will be a significant increase in demand for short-term stays from May through July 2026.

Bookings will begin in earnest in December 2025, when the tournament draw determines which teams will be coming to our region. Local governments should review their STR programs to see if potential changes, temporary or permanent, could be implemented in order to address the economic opportunities and potential community impacts the world’s largest sporting event will bring to Washington in 2026.