What World Cup fans may pay for an Airbnb in Philadelphia region
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
The FIFA World Cup is less than three months away, and the Philadelphia region will receive an influx of tourists this summer who need a place to stay.
Why it matters: Short-term rental hosts could make some extra cash.
- Yes, but: Philly proper's tough industry regulations could discourage some would-be hosts.
Driving the news: An estimated 149,000 travelers in need of accommodations will visit the metro during Philly's six World Cup matches in June and July, according to an analysis from Deloitte commissioned by Airbnb.
- That includes an estimated 17,000 Airbnb guests.
By the numbers: Deloitte estimates that the average Airbnb host could make $160 per night — or $1,900 over the span of the tourney.
- Meanwhile, average Airbnb booking costs are anticipated to be $109 per person per night.
- Plus: Deloitte estimates that Airbnb guests could spend roughly $52 million in the city and region.
Zoom in: Airbnb said last month that demand for stays is surging during the World Cup in host cities — so much that the platform is offering first-time hosts a $750 bonus through July 31.
State of play: Philly has 426 active limited lodging licenses, which are required for short-term rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo (fewer than 30 days), per a city spokesperson. That's a drop from 650 in 2024.
- Philly has another 402 active rental licenses with a hotel designation — up from around 70 two years ago. These licenses are for traditional hotels and short-term rental properties rented for 30+ days.
- Worth noting: A host with a single license can have several listable units in the same building.
The other side: The Philly region has more than 30,000 rooms across over 80 traditional hotels that are part of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association.
Flashback: Hotel prices skyrocketed in Philly and in other U.S. host cities last year when the World Cup tournament schedule was released in December, according to an analysis by The Athletic.