Hotels across the United States are cutting prices for the upcoming World Cup this summer due to lower than expected demand. Room rates in cities hosting tournament matches, like Dallas where England will face Croatia on June 19, have been reduced by approximately one-third. Despite initial expectations of a surge in guests for hoteliers from Fifa President Gianni Infantino, the reality has fallen short of promises.

Vijay Dandapani, President of the Hotel Association of New York City, stated that the anticipated boost in demand has not materialized as hoped. Scott Yesner, founder of Bespoke Stay, noted a trend of hoteliers lowering rates in response to the lack of bookings.

Fifa has canceled reservations for thousands of contracted hotel rooms for staff, leaving hoteliers with excess inventory. Lior Sekler, chief commercial officer at HRI Hospitality, attributed the decreased interest in visiting the US to dissatisfaction with the Trump administration’s policies, including visa and immigration regulations.

Skyrocketing ticket prices for World Cup matches have also deterred fans. The cost of the cheapest tickets is ten times higher than initially proposed in the bid by the US, Canada, and Mexico. England supporters will need to pay a minimum of $220 (£162) for group stage matches against Ghana and Panama, escalating to $700 (£515) for category one tickets for the opening game against Croatia. Ticket prices escalate as teams progress in the tournament, with final tickets reaching up to £6,400 each, prompting criticism from the Football Supporters Association.