Atmosphere outside the New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) on May 01, 2026 (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

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Broadway might not score big from the World Cup.

With eight soccer matches taking place in New Jersey later this month, the New York New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee predicted that more than 1.2 million people would come to the area. The tournament would generate a local economic impact of $3.3 billion, and some business coalitions proclaimed that it would be the “Summer of Opportunity.”

But, the opportunity might not extend across the river to the Great White Way.

“One major concern is the anticipated spike in hotel prices across Manhattan and the NYC metropolitan area during the tournament,” observed Pace University business professor Claudia Green. For example, the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square raised its rate for a room from $491 to $651 per night for the tournament. Prices at hotels across the other boroughs increased about 20%, according to one report.

“Broadway relies heavily on tourists, particularly overnight visitors and international travelers who already spend significant amounts on airfare, restaurants, transportation, and theater tickets,” professor Green explained. “If hotel prices rise dramatically, some middle-income visitors may shorten their stays, choose less expensive destinations, stay outside Manhattan or skip Broadway performances altogether,” she warned.

“Unlike host cities like Miami, which doesn’t get much tourism in the summer, NYC is a tourist destination in the summer, and if New York hotel rates go so high, it is a real possibility that people will decide in the summer of 2026 to go elsewhere to avoid the congestion and high prices,” echoed Smith College sports economist Andrew Zimbalist.

Yet, local visitors might also choose to circumvent the city.

“People from New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut and the broader tri-state area may normally come into the city for Broadway, but during the World Cup, some may avoid Manhattan because of traffic, congestion, transit pressure, security measures and the general difficulty of moving around,” emphasized New York University professor Richie Karaburun. “For those audiences, the issue is not hotel prices,” he clarified. “It is convenience."

Karaburun concluded that “Broadway could see a double effect.”

“[S]ome tourists may spend less because the trip is more expensive, while some local and regional audiences may simply decide it is not worth the hassle during peak World Cup periods,” he said.

According to Allison French, the senior director at the group ticket sales organization Broadway Inbound, the displacement of tourists could mirror the effect of other high-profile events hosted in the area like the Super Bowl and the Democratic National Convention. “[T]hose events have historically not been big drivers of tourism because of increases in hotel prices while events are happening,” she confirmed, adding that “hotel prices are sky high so tourists will just pick other dates, or another destination.”

Yet, for the tourists who do come and choose to spend their free time in theaters, certain shows could benefit.

Professor Green expects to see “stronger performance from blockbuster shows” that appeal to tourists, such as The Lion King, Wicked and Hamilton. French also predicts a boost at the box office for the jukebox musical MJ, which is very strong in the French market, and we have the French team here for a game."

The new musicals on Broadway competing for the top prize at the Tony Awards next week could all benefit from a bump in ticket sales.

But, the World Cup is unlikely to provide it.