There’s a two-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouse off Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta that carries an “Exceptional” rating on Vrbo. It’s described as “sky-high luxury” that sleeps six within a three-minute walk of AmericasMart. 

This week, nightly rates cost just north of $400.  

In the weeks leading up to July 15—when Atlanta will host a coveted semifinal match as part of 2026 FIFA World Cup hoopla—rates for the same condo balloon to more than $1,200 per night right now. 

That’s one example (of hundreds) pointing to what AirDNA calls exploding short-term rental demand in Atlanta and other World Cup host cities, though the grandest sporting tournament in the world is still six months away. 

Year-over-year bump in short-term rental demand across metro Atlanta markets, as of Dec. 10. AirDNA

AirDNA tracks roughly 10 million Vrbo and Airbnb short-term, vacation rentals to compile analyses on pricing, investment research, and occupancy rates. 

After last week’s FIFA World Cup draw, the company has charted “the first major wave of fan bookings” for short-term rentals in host cities like Atlanta, per analysts. 

According to AirDNA’s findings, demand has seen astronomical year-over-year spikes in intown places from Chosewood Park on the southside (up 4,700 percent) to Buckhead (up 2,335 percent) and the Atlanta University Center/Vine City area (up 1,867 percent), as of today. 

As of Dec. 10, the spike in demand across Atlanta neighborhoods for all 2026 FIFA World Cup stages, per AirDNA. AirDNA

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Bookings for non-game days are already up 131 percent across the city, too, per AirDNA’s World Cup Dashboard research.

For one marquee matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 21—Spain vs. Saudi Arabia—demand is up by 338 percent across the city and metro, from Kennesaw to Lawrenceville and down to McDonough and Fayetteville. Occupancy in some submarkets has already reached 13 percent. 

Nightly rental demand in units (at left) during World Cup month next summer, to date. AirDNA

In other cities, standout matches triggering the biggest spikes include Brazil vs. Scotland in Miami, and Haiti vs. Scotland in Boston. 

Next year, after all, will mark the Scotts’ first qualification since the 1998 tournament. 

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