FIFA World Cup Fans Can Now Book Private Airbnb Experiences With Football Pros
If you’re a big soccer fan, you might not only want to book a place to catch a game (or three)—you might want to take advantage of Airbnb’s new partnership with FIFA to offer specialty experiences that can bring fans up close and personal with their football heroes during the World Cup events.
Airbnb has announced these special experiences, available to be booked now:
A private training session with legendary American goalkeeper, Tim Howard
Watching a game in Philadelphia with former professional soccer player and commentator, Cobi Jones
An in-depth pre-match analysis session with former Swiss goalkeeper, Pascal Zuberbühler
Airbnb is offering a series of World Cup-inspired private experiences.(Airbnb)
“The World Cup brings the world together—and so do we,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO in a statement. “Airbnb is proud to partner with FIFA to offer fans once-in-a-lifetime experiences during the tournaments—while welcoming hundreds of thousands of guests during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and driving meaningful economic impact for local communities.”
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R26ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R46ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeThere are three World Cup competitions being held in North America—the first is FIFA Club World Cup in 2025, encompassing 32 teams and 12 venues. (The schedule can be found here.)
The second is the FIFA World Cup 2026, held next year, which is the World Cup everyone is familiar with. This will be held across 16 Host Cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. (Here are all the host cities.)
And the third is the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, to be held in Brazil. (Cities and venues are here.)
Airbnb and the World Cup
Airbnb hosts are set to rake it in if they’re in one of the host cities through not only next year’s FIFA World Cup, but its precursor, FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which kicked off June 14 in Miami.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2cekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4cekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeThe platform says its hosts can earn up to $210 million during the 2026 Games.
Short-term rentals in key host cities likeWashington D.C.,Seattle, andAtlantaare commanding higher nightly rates than they did this time last year, according to new data fromAirDNA, a short-term rental data analytics firm.
On average, host cities are seeing a 10% year-over-year boost in the average daily rate (ADR) for their short-term rental listings.
According to consulting firm Deloitte, Airbnb stays during the FIFA World Cup ’26 are expected to contribute $3.6 billion to Host City economies and create over 34,000 full-time jobs.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2iekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4iekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeThe home hosting company will also implement the Airbnb Host City Impact Program, a separate, targeted $5 million investment for the FIFA World Cup ’26.
Here’s an in-depth look at the three World Cup Airbnb Experiences on offer:
Training session with a pro goalkeeper
A private training session with FIFA legend Tim Howard will be held near East Rutherford, NJ (exact location revealed upon booking), where a series of Club games are set to be played in June at the MetLife stadium in East Rutherford.
“Football has the power to bring people together in unforgettable ways,” saidformer pro goalkeeper, Tim Howard in a statement. “[The Airbnb Experience] is a chance to share my love for the game and connect with fans in a hands-on, meaningful way.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2oekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4oekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe“They won’t just be watching from the stands, they’ll step onto the pitch, get a behind-the-scenes look at pro training, and experience the sport from a whole new perspective.”
FIFA goalkeeper Tim Howard will give you a private kicking session through Airbnb Experiences.(Airbnb)
“I’m a goalkeeper who earned 121 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team and played more Premier League matches than any other American,” Howard writes in his Airbnb bio. “I gained global recognition for my record-breaking performance in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where I made 16 saves in a single match.”
In this experience, for ages 16 and up, guests will be coached by Howard through a series of drills designed personally by the player. They will practice penalty shots and a strike; then there will be a talk about the FIFA Club World Cup match, and a group photo.
Activity level is moderate and skill level is intermediate. Guests must be prescreened or risk cancellation.
Watching a game with pro
Another experience is getting to watch a Club game with Howard’s former U.S. Men’s National Team team member, Cobi Jones—not on television, mind you, but in the stadium stands.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R30ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R50ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe“Join me for an exclusive Airbnb Experience, where we’ll spend Saturday, June 28th in Philadelphia watching an unforgettable knockout round match together pitchside!” Jones said on Instagram. “Who’s ready for some world-class football?”
This experience will take place in Philadelphia, where a series of games are scheduled for Lincoln Financial Field. Guests also need to be prescreened by Airbnb.
This Hall of Famer, who played 12 seasons with the Los Angeles Galaxy, in the 1992 Olympic Games, and competed in 3 FIFA World Cups, will sit and chat with you all through a game.
“I’ll share real-time commentary and context during the game,” he says on the app. “We’ll discuss key moments and predict tactical adjustments. Get mid-game insights along with stories from my pro days.”
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R35ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R55ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeThe experience will wrap up with a photo.
Airbnb offers a chance to sit in the stands with Hall of Famer Cobi Jones during a game.(Airbnb)
Behind-the-scenes analysis
The third experience being offered is an in-depth pre-match analysis session hosted by a senior expert on FIFA’s Technical Study Group, Pascal Zuberbühler, a Swiss National Team veteran who played in the 2006 World Cup.
This experience, the only one with a public price ($60 and up), will be held in Bay Harbor Islands, FL.
“Get an inside look at our cutting-edge analytics technology,” says the app of this experience. “Hear insights on how the experts will analyze today’s game.”
The experience concludes with a Q&A session with Zuberbühler and “stories from within the analytics world.”
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R3dekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R5dekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeWhile these are the only three tailored experiences that can currently be booked, Airbnb tells Realtor.com® that more are on the way.
“Guests can now explore Airbnb Experiences led by locals that spotlight regional traditions, hidden gems, and the spirit of the Host Cities,” according to the platform.
“From immersive cultural activities to opportunities to engage with football legends and experts through Airbnb Originals, Airbnb will help fans create unforgettable memories that go far beyond the matches.”
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