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FIFA Fo Fum: World Cup Brought Mixed Results for Hotels in Toronto and Vancouver

October 9, 2026 5 Minute Read

Nicole Nguyen in front of FIFA fanfest

Canadian hotels had a bumpy ride during the FIFA World Cup this past summer.

The organization cancelled hundreds of pre-booked hotel rooms ahead of the event which contributed, in part, to the drop in occupancy in World Cup host cities Toronto and Vancouver.

“This did not come as a total surprise,” says CBRE Hotels Senior Vice President Nicole Nguyen. “It’s common for organizations like FIFA to hold large blocks of rooms and then release some back into the marketplace at the last minute.”

Hotel occupancy dropped 7% in downtown Toronto and 18% in downtown Vancouver in June compared to the same period last year, according to CBRE tabulations.

But Average Daily Rate (ADR) – the average rate paid for a hotel room – rose 21% in downtown Toronto and 27% in downtown Vancouver versus last year.

“Pricing momentum was there, as tourists coming for FIFA were willing to spend more for a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience,” says Nguyen.

As a result, Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) growth compared to last year was positive in both cities: up 10% in downtown Toronto and 1% in downtown Vancouver.

We have an obligation as an industry to sell our cities and we need everyone on board in order to do that effectively. - Nicole Nguyen

Higher Than Average Displacement

Nguyen says it’s normal for big summer events like FIFA to displace visitors who would have otherwise traveled to Toronto and Vancouver during that time. However, the effect was even more pronounced this year due to World Cup hype.

“By building World Cup anticipation, we also talked a lot of guests out of coming to Toronto and Vancouver,” she says. “Which ended up being the biggest downfall – concerns about traffic, transit issues and large crowds convinced tourists to take their vacations elsewhere.”

Had occupancy stayed flat from last year, RevPAR growth would have risen even more significantly, by as much as 26%.

Swift Tops Soccer

In November 2024, Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ drove a noticeable spike in spending, leading to a 42% increase in RevPAR downtown Toronto.

“That’s because her tour was in our off season,” explains Nguyen. “It was destined to have a positive impact, as hotel occupancy and general tourism traffic is at its lowest at that time of year.”

As June and July typically see higher tourist traffic in cities like Toronto and Vancouver, any decreases in occupancy are more pronounced.

“There’s much to learn from a city like Calgary, which hosts the Stampede every summer and does an exceptional job at marketing the event to bring more tourists into the city,” says Nguyen.

“We have an obligation as an industry to sell our cities and we need everyone on board in order to do that effectively.”

Lasting Legacy

Hotel occupancy may have taken a hit from FIFA, but Nguyen points out that there are many positive takeaways from this year’s World Cup on what made the event a success.

Transit – always a top concern for Torontonians and Vancouverites – ran smoothly with minimal delays thanks to extensive planning ahead of the soccer tournament.

“The cities did a phenomenal job at managing the event this year – commutes remained largely unaffected, there were no security concerns and overall foot traffic was up,” says Nguyen.

And as one of the host countries of the FIFA World Cup, Canada was spotlighted on the world stage, drawing interest from more international travelers that will likely pay dividends for years to come.

“It gives our country a lasting legacy that, hopefully, will increase Canada’s appeal next summer and beyond,” Nguyen says.

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