Growing concern among soccer fans about the political and social climate in the United States—combined with soaring travel costs—is beginning to take a toll on World Cup tourism.
And with less than four months to go before the summer tournament kicks off, the trend is already showing up in a place FIFA can’t ignore: airline bookings.
Flight reservations down
According to data shared with Forbes, flight reservations from Europe to the U.S. for this summer have dropped sharply compared to the same period last year. Cirium, an aviation analytics firm cited by the magazine, reports that bookings on major European airlines to U.S. destinations are down 14.22% compared to 2025.
Some of Europe’s biggest travel hubs are seeing the steepest declines - with the largest falls surprising from major airports such as Frankfurt and Barcelona during the months when the World Cup takes place.
Flights to the US for June and July are down:
Even more concerning for FIFA: flights specifically headed to World Cup host cities have fallen 5% year over year.
Safety concerns after recent shootings
Forbes also reports that several sources point to safety fears as a major factor behind the drop in demand. Recent shootings—including one in Minneapolis—have heightened anxiety among European fans considering a trip to the 2026 World Cup.
Many are paying close attention to travel advisories issued by their own governments, which have urged caution when visiting the United States. For some fans, that’s enough to reconsider crossing the Atlantic for the tournament.