EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey – Just days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, a seemingly unremarkable parking lot littered with debris in New Jersey is preparing to become one of the most expensive pieces of pavement in the region.
The recently renovated World of Blue hotel plans to charge soccer enthusiasts $450 just to park in this lot during the tournament’s championship game, scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium just across the street. The venue will welcome eight World Cup matches over the coming five weeks.
Reserving a room at World of Blue for the final match will run guests approximately $2,300 based on the hotel’s website pricing – roughly seven times the cost you’d pay just one month afterward. The steep room rate does include a reduced parking fee of $383.
This industrial landscape of storage facilities and wetlands situated between New York City and Philadelphia typically serves as a pass-through destination – much like Tony Soprano’s commute in the famous HBO series opening – or a budget alternative for those priced out of Manhattan accommodations. Yet the area’s close proximity to MetLife prompted local hotel operators to anticipate a World Cup booking boom and adjust their rates upward accordingly.
However, customer demand appears to be falling short of expectations. According to front desk staff member Alexandra Sanchez, World of Blue’s occupancy has ranged between just 8% and 30% for preliminary tournament games. The hotel, which invested approximately $100 million in luxury renovations specifically for the World Cup, had secured bookings for only 4% of rooms for the final match and a single parking reservation as of Monday, Sanchez informed Reuters.
This represents the most recent evidence that the anticipated flood of soccer supporters to American host cities hasn’t fully developed, which travel industry experts and booking agents blame on several contributing elements, including exorbitant ticket costs and elevated airline prices. Additionally, there’s a shortage of reasonably priced lodging alternatives, even in areas that typically serve cost-conscious visitors.
A basic room at a two-star Super 8 motel positioned alongside a busy four-lane highway costs around $500 for the championship game night, while Extended Stay America, a budget-friendly extended stay hotel brand, was recently asking over $900.
Both establishments have already started reducing their room prices for earlier tournament rounds, based on a Reuters examination of their booking websites, while upscale hotels have maintained their premium pricing.
Hotel representatives contacted by Reuters declined to comment regarding their pricing strategies and reservation levels.
Chris Andraka, a 36-year-old manufacturing company operations director, discovered his usual accommodation choice – Marriott’s SpringHill Suites – had increased nightly rates from approximately $300 to $5,300 during the third week of July, prompting him to alter his travel plans.
“I’m not gonna work that week,” he commented while heading to his vehicle. When asked if he’d suggest the hotel to World Cup attendees, Andraka replied: “There’s a pool, there’s a small gym room, free breakfast — nothing to write home about.”
Apart from basic facilities, proximity to the stadium – which FIFA requirements mandated be temporarily renamed from MetLife to New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament – only provides limited advantages. Visitors paying premium parking fees will still require shuttle transportation or ride-sharing services to reach the matches. Walking to the venue is strongly discouraged.
A notice posted at Extended Stay’s front desk, featuring a New Jersey police department emblem, warns guests: “It is illegal and dangerous to walk on the roadways surrounding the stadium.” The words “Illegal” and “dangerous” appeared in bold text with underlining for emphasis.
Numerous supporters will probably choose accommodations in New York City, where they can experience the metropolitan area’s entertainment venues and dining establishments between trips to New Jersey. However, even Manhattan may see smaller crowds than projected.
Data from CoStar analytics firm shows that as of June 1, only 28% of New York City hotel rooms were reserved for the July 19 final, compared to 40% booked for the same date the previous year.
Jan Freitag, who serves as CoStar’s director of U.S. hospitality, indicated there remains opportunity for improvement. “For some of the markets, the hotel demand will come once the later games in the World Cup will get seeded, and stronger teams survive, and those teams then will attract their crowds,” Freitag explained.
