Kansas City emerged as the standout performer in short-term rental revenue during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to fresh data from KeyData. The Missouri city recorded a 51% year-over-year increase in adjusted revenue per available rental (RevPAR), outpacing larger markets such as New York and Los Angeles. Growth was driven by a 42% jump in average daily rates (ADR) and a 6% lift in adjusted paid occupancy.
Strategic Pricing Outperforms Volume Play
Across the 13 host cities in the United States and Canada, overall STR performance improved 24% year-over-year during the tournament window from 11 June to 19 July 2026. The gains were primarily rate-led, with nightly rates climbing 20% while adjusted paid occupancy edged up just 3%.
New York/Newark and San Francisco Bay followed Kansas City, with adjusted RevPAR increases of 40% and 33%, respectively. New York/Newark saw the largest occupancy gain among all host cities at 17%, paired with a 19% ADR rise. San Francisco Bay's growth was almost entirely rate-driven, with ADR up 33% and occupancy flat.
Sally Henry, Vice President of Market Intelligence and Insights at KeyData, noted: “The cities that performed best weren’t always the largest markets. Kansas City outgrew both New York and Los Angeles because operators there priced into the demand rather than just filling more nights.”
The findings suggest that destinations which strategically managed pricing—rather than solely chasing occupancy—captured greater revenue. With more major events on the horizon for North America, including the 2030 FIFA World Cup, cities that adopt a rate-focused approach may continue to benefit.
The analysis also aligns with broader trends in event-driven travel. Tour operators and travel agents have reported a surge in bookings across host cities, as highlighted in Civitatis data, and the MICE sector is seeing increased demand for large-scale gatherings such as the IMF-World Bank meetings in Bangkok.
For hoteliers and STR operators, the Kansas City case underscores the importance of dynamic pricing during mega-events. Rather than discounting to fill inventory, properties that held firm on rates—and communicated value through quality—reaped higher RevPAR. This lesson is particularly relevant for secondary markets hosting global events, where demand elasticity can be less predictable.
KeyData’s analysis covered the full tournament period and compared performance against the same dates in 2025. The firm plans to release a more granular breakdown by property type and neighborhood in the coming weeks.
