Airbnb is paying Torontonians to rent their homes to World Cup fans
Anyone interested in an extra grand?
Much has been done to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this June. Adding nearly 18,000 seats to BMO Field? Check. Procuring 500,000 free condoms courtesy of Toronto Public Health? Check. Guaranteeing accommodations for the 300,000 footy fans descending on our city to see the games? Not so much.
In anticipation of the World Cup invasion, hotels in Toronto have already raised their prices by 78 per cent on average. Then there’s the 2.5 per cent municipal tax hike for hotel and short-term-rental guests during the multi-month event, which has some hotels in a huff (apparently they’re the only ones allowed to raise prices).
Related: Did Canada get the World Cup’s sloppy seconds?
Where some see chaos, others see opportunities for profit—including Airbnb, which has decided to offer a $1,015 incentive to hosts willing to rent out their homes to World Cup attendees. The travel rental platform says that, amid ballooning prices in all 16 host cities, Toronto hosts can expect to rake in an average of $2,715 a day by hosting visitors.
Related: FIFA’s former president is supporting a boycott of the US portion of the World Cup
Of course, there are a few catches. The deal is for first-time hosts only, so if you’re already putting up tourists in the basement, you’re out of luck. Airbnb also says the offer is exclusive to “entire home” hosts, meaning you have to be willing to give up your whole place to a flock of fans rather than just a room.
But, with Airbnb prices so high, the extra cash might just pay for your accommodations elsewhere—ideally far, far away from the madding crowds. We hear Montreal is quite nice in the summer.
Edward Lander is a Toronto-based writer who is currently Toronto Life’s editorial intern. He’s passionate about features and creative non-fiction. He studies journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University, where he also edits features for the campus newspaper.
