Trump Fuels World Cup Flop as Fans Stay Home

Key Points:

• The anticipated influx of World Cup fans to U.S. host cities has fallen significantly short, with expected arrivals in New York halved from 1.2 million to around 500,000 due to high ticket prices and border entry challenges.
• New York Hilton Midtown has reduced its December room rates by approximately 50% amid weak demand, while hotel bookings in host cities have only increased marginally by 0.5% compared to last year.
• Flights from Europe to U.S. World Cup cities have decreased by 3.8%, with New York experiencing a 15.8% drop, attributed in part to restrictive travel bans affecting around 40 countries, including many African nations with teams in the tournament.
• Fans face additional hurdles such as last-minute visa and ESTA application changes, consular access issues, and even entry denials for FIFA officials, further dampening enthusiasm and attendance.
• High ticket prices, starting at about $1,000 in key cities, have led some fans to skip attending in person, opting instead to watch matches remotely from alternative locations like Ibiza or Las Vegas.