How to rent your Seattle home for the 2026 World Cup
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Airbnb is expecting a World Cup boom — and some Seattle homeowners want in.
Why it matters: The tournament — expected to be the city's largest event since the 1962 World's Fair — is forecast to bring more than $900 million and hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region, driving up demand for accommodations.
State of play: That has veteran hosts prepping their spaces for soccer fans and some first-timers considering whether to give hosting a try.
- Airbnb has put out a step-by-step guide to help people figure out if they can host — and how to get started.
By the numbers: Roughly 23,000 guests are expected to book local listings during the World Cup, and Seattle-area hosts could earn nearly $4,000 per stay, according to data provided to Axios by Airbnb, which has partnered with FIFA to support host cities.
- Airbnb says stays tied to the tournament could generate $3.6 billion in economic activity across the 16 host cities.
How it works: Only certain Seattle residents qualify to host short-term rentals under the city's rules.
- To host during the World Cup, homeowners must obtain a Seattle business license tax certificate and a short-term rental operator's license, which typically allows for the rental of a primary residence and one additional owned home for stays under 30 days.
- Renting out a second home requires registration with the city's rental inspection system.
Yes, but: Hosting rules vary across the region, with Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and Lynnwood allowing renters to host, per Airbnb.
- In Seattle, renters generally cannot host unless their unit is a pre-2017 "legacy" listing and some property types — including floating homes and waterfront residences — are prohibited by the city's Shoreline Code.
Zoom in: The city has seen a small rise in license applications and expects more questions, complaints and enforcement work as an estimated 750,000 visitors arrive in the Seattle area next summer, said Melissa Mixon, spokesperson for the city's Department of Finance and Administrative Services.
The big picture: Short-term rental hosts across Western Washington expect to benefit as international visitors extend their trips to explore the state's highlights, Anacortes superhost Amy Morris-Young told Axios.
- She's already seeing inquiries from travelers planning to visit the San Juan Islands, Vancouver and other regional destinations.
The bottom line: Airbnb public policy manager Jordan Mitchell told Axios the "excitement and economic impact" of the event could spread well beyond Seattle — "from the San Juan Islands to the Wenatchee Mountains."