World Cup Drives 60% Surge in Short-Term Rental Income in U.S. Host Cities

Baselane reports STR operators earned up to 13 times their typical monthly income in high-demand host markets

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered a significant boost to short-term rental (STR) owners in U.S. host markets, according to new customer data from Baselane, the leading banking and bookkeeping platform for real estate investors.

Among the same Baselane STR hosts active in both June 2025 and June 2026, rental income across 11 U.S. host markets increased 60% year over year. By comparison, income among the same group of hosts in non-host markets grew 11%.

Baselane customers in host markets saw a 79% increase in short-term rental payouts from May to June 2026, exceeding month-over-month growth in non-host markets and the seasonal increase recorded during the same period last year.

“The World Cup created a meaningful revenue opportunity for short-term rental owners, but the impact varies dramatically by city,” said Mathias Korder, CEO at Baselane. “The strongest gains are concentrated in markets where visitor demand is high and short-term rental activity is more broadly permitted, while highly regulated cities are seeing a much smaller lift.”

Miami, Kansas City, and Dallas-Fort Worth post the largest increases

In a separate analysis of short-term rental income by market, Baselane found considerable differences among World Cup host cities between May and June 2026 compared to the same period in 2025:

• Miami: 709%+
• Kansas City: 607%+
• Dallas-Fort Worth: 587%+
• Atlanta: 219%+
• Houston: 214%+
• San Francisco Bay Area: 156%+
• Seattle: 69%+
• Philadelphia: 68%+
• Boston: 45%+
• New York/New Jersey: 23%+
• Los Angeles: 12%+

Several Baselane customers experienced especially pronounced increases during the tournament window. The increase was driven by stronger short-term rental demand during the tournament period, with both revenue and booking activity climbing above typical levels.

• Atlanta: The owner of a single rental property generated approximately $16,000 in four weeks, compared with a typical monthly income of roughly $1,200.
• Kansas City: An owner with three local properties generated approximately $13,900 during the tournament period, about seven times the property owner’s normal monthly pace.
• Dallas-Fort Worth: An operator with nine properties, including seven in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, generated approximately $25,000 during the tournament window, compared with roughly $11,000 in a typical month.
• Seattle: A professional operator with 23 units, including 14 in Seattle, generated approximately $216,000 in four weeks, compared with approximately $81,000 in a typical month.

Local short-term rental rules shape who benefits

Baselane’s analysis also indicates that local regulation may influence how much of the World Cup-related demand property owners can capture.

Short-term rental income in host markets where short-term renting is broadly permitted increased 421% compared with June 2025. Markets with moderate restrictions increased 75%, while highly regulated markets, including New York, Los Angeles, and Boston, increased 18%.

The results suggest that visitor demand alone does not determine the financial impact of a major event. The availability of legal STR inventory can affect how broadly the economic opportunity reaches local property owners.

“Major events like the World Cup can create a significant revenue opportunity for short-term rental owners, but local market conditions determine how much of that demand they can actually capture,” said Mathias Korder, CEO at Baselane. “That makes financial visibility critical. Owners need to understand not just that revenue increased, but where the gains came from, how costs changed, and whether the lift reflects a one-time event or a longer-term investment opportunity.”

Methodology

Baselane analyzed customer payout transactions from short-term rental and property management platforms, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Expedia, Guesty, Hospitable, Lodgify, and Cloudbeds.

Year-over-year growth figures are based on income categorized as short-term rent by Baselane customers who were active during both comparison periods. The findings reflect activity among Baselane customers and should not be interpreted as estimates for the entire U.S. rental market.

About Baselane

Baselane is the leading real estate banking platform for multi-property investors, with integrated bookkeeping, tax reporting, and rent collection. Baselane serves and is trusted by more than 50,000 independent real estate investors who process over $3.7 billion annually through the platform. Baselane automates core financial tasks to help users save time, operate more efficiently, and grow their rental portfolios. Learn more at www.baselane.com.

Baselane is a financial technology company and is not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC.