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US: Airbnb generated more media coverage than any individual hotel brand during the opening weeks of the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to CARMA.
Analysis by media intelligence company CARMA found Airbnb featured in 761 online news articles between 1 May and 18 June, compared with 567 for Hilton and 553 for Marriott. Across the three major hotel brands analysed, hotels generated 1,196 articles in total.
The report suggests short-term rentals are becoming an increasingly prominent part of the accommodation conversation as fans seek alternatives beyond traditional hotel districts.
Pricing emerged as the dominant theme across both hotels and short-term rentals, with reports of some World Cup listings increasing rates significantly during the tournament. Airbnb has previously said that 77% of its available entire-home listings during the event were priced below $500 per night.
The analysis also found that safety and security featured heavily in accommodation coverage, reflecting heightened attention on visitor safety across host cities during the tournament.
Michael Simpson, hospitality specialist at CARMA, said hospitality brands need to monitor media narratives in real time during major events, as discussions around pricing, availability and security can quickly influence public perception.
The findings were based on an analysis of 3,141 online news articles published between 1 May and 18 June 2026.
Highlights:
- Airbnb generated more World Cup accommodation coverage than any individual hotel brand
- CARMA analysed 3,141 online articles published between 1 May and 18 June
- Pricing was the dominant topic across both hotels and short-term rentals
- Safety and security also featured prominently in media coverage
