On June 12, Peggy Orenstein’s inbox was flooded with booking requests for her Inglewood Airbnb.
The date seemed random, but after a quick search, the flood of interest was clear. It was exactly a year before one of the biggest events in American soccer history, when the U.S. would kick off the World Cup with a match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, and Orenstein had set up a reservation system a year in advance.
Orenstein’s rental property sits across the street from the property. Suddenly, his Airbnb became one of the hottest homes in the Southland.
He had not adjusted the prices to reflect the high demand, so he rejected the requests and adjusted the prices. Typically, a two-night stay at a house can cost around $1,000. A two-night stay during the Americans’ opening game on June 12, will now cost more than $10,000.
About 6.5 million people are expected to travel to North America during the 2026 World Cup, and many of them will head to LA, where SoFi Stadium will host eight games, including two US games during the group stage. Airbnb hosts view the games as a gold mine, hoping football fans will shell out thousands to stay near the stadium.
The World Cup rental market will serve as a test for the 2028 Olympics, when an estimated 15 million people are expected to visit Southern California.
On the night of the opening game on June 12, more than 70% of short-term rentals in Inglewood are already booked, according to the Inside Airbnb website. That’s a 58% increase compared to normal booking rates on normal days.
Prices are rising too. As of June 1, the average Airbnb booking in LA is $245, according to data platform AirDNA. On June 12, when the US plays Paraguay, it’s $382 — a 56% jump.
In Inglewood, prices are much higher. Houses that normally rent hundreds are now in the thousands. The nightly price for a one-bedroom apartment a block from SoFi is usually $400. On June 11, the day before the game, it’s $713. On June 12, game day, it’s $1,714.
“It will be interesting to see how much people will pay,” Orenstein said.
Some hosts use an algorithm to determine their nightly rates, but Orenstein sets the prices himself. He arrived at the $10,000 price by looking at nearby, top-selling hotels on the nights of the eight World Cup games.
“Lum Hotel had a suite available during the World Cup for $1,943. Meanwhile, our house can accommodate eight guests with four bedrooms, a kitchen and a yard,” he said.
There are classic amenities like a grill and hot tub, but it’s a great thing to have close by. Orenstein caters to visitors scrambling to find on-site parking and walk to the stadium while everyone else navigates traffic and long waits.
“It’s crazy out there,” she said. “I’ve had people pay me $40 to use the bathroom when I walked past a Taylor Swift concert. Our neighbor sold parking spaces for $1,000 during the Super Bowl.”
David (pictured) and Peggy Orenstein, run an Airbnb across the street from SoFi Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Colin Johnson has been renting out his home near SoFi Stadium for two years. The place where they live, meaning if one lives there, they have to book a hotel or crash on a friend’s couch. But he said the payments are worth it.
“There are so many events and places around us, why don’t we use this opportunity?” he said.
A typical two-night stay in a three-story townhouse costs about $600. For the US opener, it cost more than $3,000.
Johnson said demand is about 60% from Americans and 40% from foreigners, but he expects foreign interest to continue as the games approach.
The demand is not limited to Inglewood. Luxury rentals across Los Angeles are booked in impressive numbers, according to Mokhtar Jabli, founder of luxury rental platform Nightfall Group.
He has booked two so far. The first was rented by a client from Florida who was coming to Los Angeles to see Iran play two matches at SoFi Stadium against New Zealand and Belgium. A modern home in the Hollywood Hills, complete with an infinity pool overlooking the city, rents for $33,000 for seven nights from June 15 to 22.
The second was booked by a New York client to see the US play Paraguay. The 7,000-square-foot Malibu comes with a movie theater, butler, security and full-time staff. 10 days, rent for $100,000.
Jamie Lane, AirDNA’s chief economist, anticipates surges across LA County — not just in terms of demand, but also supply.
“There’s a lot of interest right now in what you can do as a host,” said Lane. “In many cities, there won’t be enough housing, which drives up prices.”
He added that since Airbnb is the official “Alternative Accommodation and Booking Platform” for the World Cup, the company is urging people to host it. AirDNA has hosted numerous bootcamps across the country for people interested in renting out their homes during the World Cup, teaching them how to equip homes, set prices during the games and more.
Lane expects the list to rise early next year, which would mirror Paris in the months leading up to the 2024 Olympics, when active listings are up 40%.
It’s unclear how Southern California cities will work to curb illegal listings as landlords look to make a quick buck by renting out their apartments. Many cities have strict temporary rental laws, but have not taken the necessary steps to enforce them.
Last year, the LA Department of Housing estimated that 7,500 temporary rentals were violating the city’s Home Sharing Ordinance, but the city issued only 300 citations.
Orenstein said it won’t be easy in Inglewood.
“You have to jump through hoops to have an Airbnb,” she said. “Apply for permits, check, pay taxes every month. It has to be done right.”
