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Atlanta hotel occupancy falls during World Cup
Atlanta hotel occupancy dropped to 63 percent in June and 57 percent in July during the World Cup.
ATLANTA - Atlanta welcomed hundreds of thousands of soccer fans and generated millions of dollars during the World Cup, yet local hotels experienced an unexpected drop in overnight stays compared to the previous year.
Atlanta World Cup hotel occupancy drops
What we know:
Atlanta welcomed 300,000 total visitors and generated millions of dollars in tourist spending during the World Cup tournament. However, hotel occupancy rates fell compared to the same period in 2025.
Hotel booking levels reached 63% in June, a 4% decline from 2025. Occupancy also dropped to 57% in July, a 10% decrease from the previous year, according to Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Vice President Charlene Lopez.
Daytime matches shorten tourist visits
The backstory:
Key local features contributed to the shorter hotel stays. Most matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium took place at noon, allowing visitors to attend games and depart on the same day or the following morning.
The stadium's proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport made it easy for fans to quickly travel in and out of the city.
Georgia State University School of Hospitality Director Ben Lawrence said the event drew more domestic fans than international travelers, who typically book longer stays. And the World Cup cast a large shadow.
"Whenever you have a large event, it displaces other conventions or other customers coming to the city," Lawrence said.
Travel costs impact local bookings
The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau noted that fuel costs and geopolitical tensions played smaller roles in the hotel slowdown.
Future tournament prospects remain strong
What's next:
Tourism leaders view the World Cup as an overall success that will help secure major sports events and large conventions in the future. Mercedes-Benz Stadium earned top fan ratings as a venue, and local fan festivals set attendance records throughout the tournament.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Vice President Charlene Lopez and Georgia State University School of Hospitality Director Ben Lawrence, alongside reporting by FOX 5 reporter Christopher King.