“Please Don’t Come”: Americans Urge FIFA World Cup Travelers To Stay Away Over “Absurd” $40K Price Tag

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 through July 19 and will be held in 16 host cities, with 11 in the U.S., two in Canada, and three in Mexico. 48 teams will play in 104 soccer matches over 39 days in the most anticipated sporting event of the year. However, the tournament has already earned several controversies before it’s even kicked off.

For one, the U.S. government’s series of travel bans will block some international World Cup fans from attending their teams’ games in American host cities. Meanwhile, recently implemented U.S. visa price increases mean many World Cup travelers face $435 fees and long delays to obtain their documentation to enter America for the tournament. To top it off, expensive FIFA World Cup ticket prices for U.S. matches began pushing travelers toward Canadian and Mexican host cities instead.

Now, another “absurd” price tag is prompting even Americans themselves to urge visitors to stay away—one that costs up to $40,000 for the World Cup Final weekend in New Jersey. Alongside this, though, are other pressing issues behind some Americans’ warnings to tourists (especially international fans) to avoid attending the event in U.S. host cities.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final will light up the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19 in what’s expected to be the world’s biggest sporting event of the year. With that hype, though, comes eye-watering price tags, particularly for accommodation.

First reported by NJ.com, it turns out that New Jersey Airbnb hosts are attempting to cash in on the World Cup Final weekend of July 17th to 20th. Some Airbnb listings near MetLife Stadium show price tags of up to $40,000 for those three-nights (plus a few extra thousands in added taxes).

Airbnb Rental Prices For The FIFA World Cup Final Weekend (July 17–20)—Including Taxes

Since the U.S. hotel industry is lagging behind Mexico and Canada for the World Cup, some fans without budget constraints might actually resort to paying these Airbnb prices. Granted, some of the properties are large and luxurious, but others are more modest in size and amenities (in any case, it’s clearly the proximity to MetLife Stadium and other tourist attractions, like New York City, that commands the high price for this specific weekend).

According to Share America, up to 10 million visitors will head to America’s 11 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

There are also plenty of other New Jersey Airbnb listings within a reasonable distance of MetLife Stadium that are currently priced from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand for the same three-night time slot.

Still, the staggering costs have drawn many people out of the woodwork, not only to call them out as “absurd” but also to tell travelers “don’t come.” What’s more, some of the other reasons Americans are urging tourists to stay away, beyond merely jaw-dropping Airbnb costs, are food for thought.

Americans Are Telling FIFA World Cup Travelers To Stay Away Over The “Absurd” $40,000 Airbnb Prices

Aerial view of MetLife Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey, NJ, USACredit: via Shutterstock

Airbnb hosts are indeed free to set whatever price they wish for their vacation rentals. It’s not uncommon for them to raise prices during busy tourist seasons (like summer) and popular events—such as the FIFA World Cup, of course. Hotels and resorts usually work in the same way. But just as they’re free to pick their own prices, people are free to voice their opinions about it. And opinions on New Jersey’s pricey Airbnbs for the World Cup weekend are certainly abundant.

On an Instagram post about the discovery of the $40,000 Airbnb price, many Americans and international travelers flooded the comments section with their very strong thoughts on the matter. Many people simply posted one-word reactions, ranging from “absurd” and “ridiculous” to “insane,” “shameful,” and “disgusting.” One user who claimed to be an Airbnb host also slammed the prices.

“Greedy !!! That is disgusting behavior I have an Airbnb in Hoboken, 15 [minutes] from the stadium – prime location and do not plan to rip people off like that,” they wrote.

On the other hand, as would be expected, many folks also mocked the prices. “$26k for a 3 day stay in NEW JERSEY is diabolical and hilarious,” one person wrote. More people chimed in with a myriad of mockery.

One person said: “Do they really think someone is going to pay a whole [year’s] worth of rent in some areas for a three day weekend?”

Another wrote: “Who in their right mind would stay in Jersey vs NYC?” while another person posted: “This place has lost its mind.” Some also said they believe it goes against the spirit of the World Cup, writing: “Ridiculous, that’s not what the World Cup is about.” Some people even joked about renting their own furniture out, saying “I’m about to rent out my closet for $10k.”

FIFA 2026 final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New JerseyCredit: Anthony Quintano from Hillsborough, NJ, United States, Wikimedia Commons

But cost complaints and comedy aside, some people were a little more serious about their apprehension. For instance, some brought up the controversial topic of price gouging. “Of course they were going to price gouge people,” one user wrote. Other users questioned the legality, saying, “how could this be even legal?” while tagging Airbnb’s Instagram account.

Some, though, told FIFA World Cup travelers to stay away not just because of the “absurd” Airbnb prices, but potentially due to other real-world, relevant concerns.

Some People Advised FIFA World Cup Fans To Stay Away For Reasons Beyond The Absurdness Of The Airbnb Prices

Among the jokes and comments slamming the “ridiculous” accommodation prices, a number of people warned FIFA World Cup fans not to come—not just to New Jersey but also to the U.S. in general.

“[People] please don’t come. Watch it on TV,” one user wrote in response to the Airbnb prices.

“Boycott the World Cup,” another person said, and another added: “I pray [people] don’t fall or even try to pay them prices.” The Airbnb prices did spark some of those reactions, but other pain points behind the message to stay away are also apparent.

One of those woes is the all-too-common problem of corporations buying up properties and pricing out locals in their own towns and cities.

“You mean the corporations that buy the homes? To then rent at 5x the rate?” one person wrote.

This is a growing issue in many desirable locations across the U.S. (and the world, for that matter), which inflates home and rent prices that locals then can’t afford. “These corporations are too greedy,” a person added. But another pertinent reason why some people are telling travelers to avoid the World Cup in the U.S., however, is the ICE situation.

A statement from White House World Cup task force head, Andrew Giuliani, toward the end of 2025 added to growing concerns about the safety of international visitors in the U.S. for the event this summer. “The president has not ruled out anything that will make American citizens safer,” Giuliani warned when asked whether the government would prevent ICE raids at World Cup venues.

That remark, along with the many ICE operations that sparked media frenzies in 2025 and into 2026, has left many Americans, as well as would-be international World Cup fans, with cold feet. The Instagram post’s comments reflected that sentiment.

“ICE agents will be at the World Cup. Don’t come unless [you] [want] to go back home on Con Air,” one person warned, referring to the 1997 movie.

More people posted similar warnings, with one saying “Hope they cancel. It is too dangerous here,” referring to the current U.S. political climate. “The World Cup and Olympics need to be moved. It isn’t safe here,” another person advised.

Rudy Giuliani and son Andrew Giuliani at the New York City Israel Parade on 5th Avenue in NYC, USACredit: via Shutterstock

Ultimately, President Donald Trump repeatedly confirmed that the U.S. would be open and inclusive when he pushed for the 2026 World Cup to be hosted in the country during his first term. According to Newsweek, he even sent FIFA a message in 2018 declaring that “all eligible athletes, officials and fans […] would be able to enter the United States without discrimination.”

Despite that initial welcoming message, it seems many Americans and international travelers feel uneasy about attending the World Cup this summer—with skyrocketing Airbnb prices perhaps one of their lesser worries (though still one that generates an abundance of heated reactions nonetheless).