Airbnb is paying new hosts $750 to list their home ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The offer is open to first-time hosts in any of the 16 host cities across the U.S. and Mexico, and it's the largest new host incentive program the company has ever launched.
The move comes as demand for short-term rentals in World Cup markets is already running well ahead of normal patterns, and several host cities are staring down real lodging shortages once the tournament starts in June.
How to Qualify
To be eligible, hosts must be new to Airbnb or have had no active listings as of February 1, 2026. They need to register through Airbnb's reward landing page before publishing their listing (or receive the offer directly via email), then list an entire home in an eligible zone and complete at least one reservation with a total price of $100 or more before taxes. The guest's checkout must happen by July 31, 2026.
Payouts go through the host's default payout method within 45 days of the completed stay. Airbnb has published a list of eligible ZIP codes for each host city on its website.
What the Earnings Picture Looks Like
A Deloitte analysis commissioned by Airbnb estimates that hosts in World Cup cities could earn an average of $3,000 by renting out their space during the event. Across all 16 host cities, Airbnb projects $3.6 billion in total economic impact from stays on its platform, with hosts collectively earning up to $210 million.
Those projections track with what the booking data already shows. Searches for stays in host cities are up 80% year over year, and early booking surges in cities like Boston, Kansas City, and Philadelphia have been significant.
Bottom Line
The $750 is a nice signing bonus, but it's not the main draw here. The real opportunity is the demand wave that's already building across host cities, particularly in markets where lodging shortages are a real concern.
For homeowners who've been on the fence about hosting, the incentive lowers the barrier to entry. But listing a home isn't free. Permits, furnishing, photography, and pricing all take time and money, and the tournament only runs for six weeks. Anyone jumping in should go in with realistic expectations about the operational lift, not just the payout.
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