Canada’s World Cup host cities facing high demand, soaring hotel prices

With less than a year to go before Canada co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hotel prices and availability in Toronto and Vancouver are already shaping up to be a major concern for visitors.

In total, the two cities will host 13 matches, with Toronto staging six at its renamed Toronto Stadium (BMO Field) starting on June 12, 2026, and Vancouver hosting seven at BC Place.

And while both cities stand to benefit economically from the influx of international fans, the surge in demand is already driving up the cost of accommodations and raising concerns about supply.

Sky-high rates in Vancouver

Vancouver hotels appear to be bearing the brunt of early sticker shock.

“It’s Vancouver that’s suffering a little bit in terms of the availability of hotel rooms,” said travel journalist Loren Christie in an interview with CTV’s Your Morning on Thursday.

“The rates, if you go online right now … are very high, and some of the hotel rooms are showing already sold out.”

However, he said the situation may change after FIFA releases room blocks reserved for VIPs, teams, and media.

“I would wait until January to really get a clear picture,” Christie said.

To ease pressure, local officials and hospitality platforms are looking at alternative accommodation options.

“UBC (the University of British Columbia) is opening up college dorms. Airbnb and VRBO are working with the City of Vancouver to open up more short-term rental. They are working with people who are not typically hosts, to become temporary hosts,” he added.

“If you want to get really creative, you can stay at campgrounds. You can stay in RV parks.”

Toronto’s hotel prices rising, but less dramatically

Toronto is also preparing for an influx of tourists for the net summer’s international sporting event.

The city is projecting $392 million in local economic benefit from the tournament, but has also temporarily increased the municipal accommodation tax.

The hotel tax was raised from 6 per cent to 8.5 per cent on June 1 and will stay that way until July 31, 2026, affecting both hotels and short-term rentals.

“They took their municipal accommodations tax and added some onto it to cover some of the costs,” Christie said.

Still, hotel rates in Toronto, while not cheap, appear more stable than those in Vancouver.

“If you look at the rates in Toronto (for) a week in June compared to a week in August after FIFA is gone, they’re not that much higher,” Christie said.

“We’re talking like, you know, $600 rooms. It’s not cheap, but it’s not astronomical.”

Both Toronto and Vancouver are also planning major fan events and public celebrations during the 2026 World Cup.

“It’s causing a little bit extra pricing for people visiting Toronto … but the one thing I’ll say, they’re using that money,” he said.

“If you remember Taylor Swift … there was a lot of talk about the hotel prices. But then when Taylor came, it was all about the vibe in the city and all the great things that were going on.”