The 2026 FIFA World Cup is turning into more than just a soccer frenzy. As millions of football fans flock to North America’s World Cup host cities, thousands of residents are cashing in on the tourism boom by renting out their homes. And women hosts leading the way in earnings.
Here what data reveals
- Women account for 53% of active hosts across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and generate more than half (50.5%) of all tournament-time bookings, a Fortune article points out.
- It also says, “many took advantage of the company’s payday initiative to open their doors for the global competition.”
- Women accounted for almost three in five sign-ups for Airbnb’s host incentive programme, which offers a $750 bonus to new hosts who welcome their first guests before July 31 in eligible North American cities.
- As per the estimates, hosts will earn a total of $212 million across the 16 host cities, with the average host getting a $3,000 payday for renting their space during the tournament.
Noting that women tend to be the more host-like people, Nadia Giordani, an Airbnb host in Atlanta, tells Fortune, “Taking that into consideration, women are definitely more independent than historically, and they have found an opportunity where we can be the nurturers that we tend to be naturally, on a platform that also allows us to monetize from being who we are.”
Now, thousands of women across North America are watching their calendars book out and bank deposits rise.
“For many women, tapping into that passive income could be a real lifeline in a cost-of-living crisis,” the article notes. Many women in World Cup host cities are facing growing financial strain. A Focaldata study found that one in three feel less financially secure than they did 12 months ago, while most worry about rising living costs. Around 75% say an additional $3,000 in hosting income would make a real difference.
For many hosts, the income is being used in different ways—some are adding to their travel savings, while others are reinvesting it into their businesses. Several women hosting during the World Cup say the event offered a rare chance to capitalize on one of the largest global sporting events ever hosted in their backyards
According to Juan David Borrero, global head of partnerships and business development at Airbnb, the impact that it has with women has been really encouraging
“There’s a lot of burden in terms of the expenses of life that become really expensive…So, for them to be able to think of how they can be creative with the management of the expenses of the household, hosting becomes a solution.”