World Cup Overhyped, NJ Hotel Owner Says, As Hotels Report Fewer Than Expected Bookings

SECAUCUS, NJ — The first World Cup game at MetLife Stadium will be at 6 p.m. this Saturday, between Brazil and Morocco.

But one independent hotel operator in Secaucus says bookings are not anywhere close to the expectancy FIFA hyped over the past two years. And this report (May 4) from the American Hotel & Lodging Association found that 80 percent of hotels in U.S. World Cup host cities report lackluster demand.

"It's all BS," said Raj Patel, who owns Harmony Suites and Candlewood Suites in Secaucus. "I am not saying we haven't booked any rooms for the World Cup. But it's been absolutely nothing like they've been saying. Business has been steady and average for this time of year; thank God we don't rely on World Cup for business."

Secaucus, less than a mile away from MetLife stadium, is dotted with hotels, of varying price points. Most hotels today are owned by corporate holding companies, which makes it difficult to research their occupancy rates. Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli said police in town gave him a report they did June 2 of all the hotels in town, and nearly all of them, including Patel's two hotels, reported a 97 percent occupancy rate for this Saturday night, the first game.

Gonnelli said a 97 percent occupancy rate is not normal for this time of year; it's all World Cup travelers, he said. He also pointed out, as the police report shows, that all the hotels in Secaucus dramatically raised their rates for the World Cup.

"Secaucus hotels run 80 percent occupancy all year round, and my hotel is usually at 97 percent occupancy this time of year," countered Patel.

In New York City, two-thirds of hotel operators reported softer-than-expected World Cup bookings. A number of hotels across the United States said FIFA gave them their room-block holds back, the New York Post reported. At some hotels, room blocks FIFA had reserved months ahead of time did not have one single reservation made.

What's the reason for the lack of World Cup fandom? The American Hotel & Lodging Association says difficulty getting visas is a big reason people from other countries won't be traveling to America as FIFA expected them to.

Also, America is at war with Iran, causing global instability. Oil prices are very high due to the war; the cost of jet fuel is soaring and airfare prices are high. And finally, the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration has dramatically cooled international travel to the United States; the U.S. has seen a 5.5 percent drop in international travel since 2024, according to this May 1 report from U.S. Congress.

Patel also blamed FIFA for making World Cup tickets so expensive, and the state of New Jersey for making it very difficult to get to the game.

"First, you have to get a visa. Then you have to get a FIFA ticket to the game, which you have to sell your grandmother, your husband, your wife, to be able to afford," Patel joked Tuesday. "And $95 train prices. There's no parking anywhere around the stadium ... Then, if you have any money left over you can eat something inside the stadium."

The cheapest tickets to a World Cup game at MetLife range from $461 to $1,411, depending on the teams playing. Prices only climb from there and tickets to the World Cup final, held July 19 at MetLife, currently start at about $8,000, according to the latest ticket sale data from SeatGeek.

"They've made it a millionaires' and billionaires' game. The average Joe can't go," said Patel. "About a year ago, I was prepared (for a surge in bookings), as they told us. But then FIFA took over the state and the government got involved and set up the prices and made it out of peoples' price range. The interest is not there. It's really unfortunate."

It will be $98 round-trip to take NJ Transit to the stadium for World Cup games and tickets have to be purchased in advance, on NJTransit's new mobile app. NJ Transit will not have any tickets for sale at train stations or ticket vending machines on Saturday. NJ Transit said it set aside 40,000 tickets for each game day. There will be no parking at MetLife Stadium because FIFA will use the parking lots for sponsorship and fan experience events, plus heightened security.

On Tuesday, Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced she will give away 750 free World Cup tickets. Two hundred of those tickets will be given to New Jersey nurses and children in pediatric hospitals across the state.

FIFA expanded this year's World Cup to 104 games spread across 16 cities in America. In New Jersey, MetLife will host eight games in total, and tens of thousands of spectators are expected.

World Cup game schedule at MetLife:

June 13 6 p.m. Brazil v. Morocco

June 16 3 p.m. France v. Senegal

June 22 8 p.m. Norway v. Senegal

June 25 4 p.m. Ecuador v. Germany

June 27 5 p.m. Panama v. England

June 30 5 p.m. Round of 32

July 5 4 p.m. Round of 16

July 19 3 p.m. World Cup Final

North Jersey Hotel Prices Surpass $8,000 Per Night During World Cup

770 World Cup Tickets Will Be Free For NJ Residents, Sherrill Says: Here's Who'll Get One