Hosting a FIFA World Cup usually creates a significant upswing in demand for short-term rental accommodation in cities where stadiums are located, leading to dramatic price increases—but the uplift to the sales market unfolds over many years.
The short-term boost to the property market—like the rental upswings Qatar and nearby Dubai are feeling—typically only lasts a few weeks and primarily affects properties located close to the stadiums. The long-term impact of hosting one of the world’s largest sporting events on residential property markets is more complex and difficult to assess. The effects of hosting the soccer tournament often unfold over years and vary widely from country to country and city to city.
Unlike the Olympic Games, which are held in a single city, World Cup games—which are held every four years—are scattered across multiple cities and can span enormous geographic areas.
The current World Cup, hosted by Qatar, is unusually compact, taking place across five cities just a few hours’ drive apart, but the 2018 World Cup in Russia was spread between 11 cities spanning thousands of kilometers. The 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, is set to take place in 16 different cities scattered across the three countries, with up to 3,000 miles between some stadiums.
This makes the impact of hosting a World Cup particularly difficult to catalog. Brokers said that the effects may begin months or even years before the month-long tournament and continue for years in its wake.
“Leading up to the World Cup, there was an increase in demand for properties that suited the hosting of the influx of soccer fans, their family