Summer is right around the corner, and with it the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Matches will kick off in June and run for more than a month across North America.
Four dozens teams will compete in 104 matches in 16 cities. Eight matches will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, known as the “Atlanta stadium” during the tournament.
The city has been getting ready to host the thousands of domestic and international travelers who will descend on the streets for the World Cup, from upgrades at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and MARTA to fanfests and community events.
The tournament will have a far-reaching economic impact on the city, and Airbnb says there is a way for residents to get in on the action.
Using a newly launched profit tracker, residents can see how much their home may be able to earn in rent if homeowners decide to list their places on Airbnb during the tournament.
The new tracker allows anyone to select an area on a map and see the prices of rentals there. You can then set a time frame, like the entirety of the World Cup tournament, and select how many nights your home could be rented as well as how many bedrooms it offers.
Airbnb then calculates what your total profit could be if you listed your home on the platform under those parameters.
For example, in the area around Centennial Park just steps from the Atlanta stadium and where the official fanfest will take place, rentals are expected to go for between $280 and $450 per night. If the rental was booked for 33 nights, or enough for all eight Atlanta matches, and includes an entire unit with two bedrooms, the homeowner could make $5,188.
Further north in Chamblee, rentals are cheaper and going for between $125 and $272 per night for a two bedroom, entire unit stay. Over the course of the tournament, the homeowner could make $3,171.
Airbnb is also offering a $750 reward for new listings and for hosting your first guests, incentivizing residents in World Cup areas to join the platform for the first time.
A report from Airbnb and Deloitte in December found the tournament could drive as much as $70 million for the accommodation sector in Atlanta.
“Tourists’ spending initiates a chain reaction throughout the economy, starting with direct impacts on sectors such as accommodations and restaurants. As businesses respond to this increased demand, indirect effects ripple throughout the supply chain,” according to the report. “Additionally, induced effects arise as higher wages circulate within the economies, further stimulating economic activity across different sectors.”
The full impact of this “multiplier effect” will be clear during the World Cup, where Deloitte estimates the city will see $23 million in direct impact to the hospitality industry by Airbnb guests, but an additional $24 million in indirect financial gains and $23 million in induced gains, bringing a total positive impact on the sector to $70 million.
Airbnb guests will not only bring money to their accommodations, but also to restaurants and bars, cultural activities, retail spaces and private and public transit, according to the report.
“We project total host earnings in Atlanta and surrounding areas during the World Cup to reach nearly ($3 million), resulting in an average earnings per host of approximately ($3,700) over the event duration. These earnings could be particularly impactful for women, who represent 59% of Airbnb hosts in the USA, and for seniors, who represent 20% of hosts,” according to the report.
Irene Wright is following the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA TODAY’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.