Women Airbnb hosts cash in as World Cup lifts home rentals

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is driving a short-term rental surge in host cities across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, and Airbnb says women are taking a leading share of the business. The company told Fortune that women account for 53% of active hosts during the tournament and 50.5% of bookings.

Airbnb also said women made up nearly three in five sign-ups for a new-host promotion tied to the event. The program offers $750 to eligible new home hosts in North American host cities who complete a first stay before July 31, 2026.

Airbnb estimates hosts across the tournament's 16 host cities will earn $212 million during the World Cup, Fortune reported. The company puts the average host's tournament income at about $3,000.

A Focaldata study cited by Fortune found that about one in three women in World Cup host cities said they felt less financially secure than they had a year earlier. The same study found broad concern among women about rising living costs over the next year, and three in four said $3,000 in hosting income would make a meaningful difference to their finances.

Juan David Borrero, Airbnb's global head of partnerships and business development, told Fortune the response from women hosts had been encouraging. He said hosting can help households address higher everyday expenses by creating income from unused space.

Hosts near stadiums see stronger bookings

Fortune reported that Jennifer Smith, a 55-year-old host in North Texas, is renting out two homes during the tournament near Historic Downtown McKinney, less than an hour from AT&T Stadium. Smith said her first World Cup-related reservation came from a group traveling from Japan.

Smith told Fortune that her revenue for the period rose by several thousand dollars, about 78% above the same summer stretch a year earlier. She said she charged about $155 a night in 2025 and raised rates during the tournament to roughly $185 to $225 a night.

According to Smith, June was fully booked and July filled as matchups were set. Fortune reported that her properties reached at least 80% occupancy during a Texas summer period that is typically slower for her business, putting demand closer to her stronger fall and winter seasons.

Smith told Fortune most of her guests were traveling from within the U.S. She said she planned to put the added income back into her short-term rental business.

Atlanta host adds discounts and savings

Fortune also reported on Nadia Giordani, a 64-year-old Airbnb host with a two-bedroom tiny home in Atlanta's Cabbagetown neighborhood, about a 15-minute drive from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Giordani told Fortune her Airbnb revenue during the World Cup rose 40%.

Giordani said her nightly rates during the tournament increased by $80 to $100 compared with last year. She also offered a 20% discount to guests who booked early without cancellation, and told Fortune most guests took that option.

Fortune reported that Giordani's June calendar was full and only a few July dates remained open. She said the property would usually run at about 65% occupancy in slower months, but bookings arrived over four months as teams advanced and higher-profile matches were confirmed.

Giordani told Fortune she was adding FIFA-themed items for visitors coming from abroad and across the U.S. She said the extra income would go into savings, while her Airbnb earnings also help fund travel and leisure spending.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.