With the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to Kansas City, SM East families are looking to rent out their houses to those traveling to attend. There'll be around 650,000 visitors to Kansas City, according to KCTV5.
Kansas City is one of the 16 host cities, and local news sources, such as KCTV5, have stated that hotels will fill up fast. Airbnb and Vrbo rental prices increase during big events like these, so the same news sources hint something similar will happen here due to the large estimated number of visitors, however different neighborhoods have established different rules regarding rentals for the World Cup this summer.
To be able to rent out a home in the suburbs of Kansas City you must have a rental license, on average a rental license takes six months to two years to acquire. This can create challenges for people who only plan to rent out their property for the summer, since their license may not be approved before the summer.
Overland Park is a city where rentals are restricted and people have to apply for a permit.
Freshman Ava Adams's family planned to rent out their house, yet they are unable to because of restrictions Overland Park has put in place.
“My family was thinking about renting out our house for the World Cup games, but we couldn't because we live in Overland Park,” Adams said. “It's really unfortunate that we can't do it since we're already traveling and it would just be extra money,”
Despite the monetary benefits, many are choosing not to rent out their houses. Some don't want to pay for a separate place to stay while their house is occupied, according to freshman Hadleigh Beck.
“We had thought about it, but really, having to pay so much to stay somewhere else for renting out is so dumb because overall it'll just be more money spent,” Beck said.
According to Beck, there are also fees from rental platforms, permits and inspections, so the costs can add up and make it less worth it.
Overland Park and other Johnson County cities' representatives have stated publicly that they have these rules because of noise, traffic and keeping neighborhoods comfortable.
In Fairway, however, people can rent their homes if they get a permit and follow specific rules, which is what resident Bob Shull will be doing.
“I’m honestly planning on renting out, I've already had offers from friends coming in town saying they'd pay like $3,000 to rent out from me,” Shull said.
This same thing happened during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where people made around $1,000 per night renting out their homes, according to Reuters.
Reporters in Kansas City expect similar patterns, especially in areas close to downtown such as the Country Club Plaza.
They also expect this in places with reliable public transportation to major destinations like Crown Center, which attracts tourists and people unfamiliar with the area.
Kansas City, Missouri lets people rent their homes if they register for a rental permit, but they’ve become stricter about it, according to KCUR . Other suburbs of Kansas City, Kansas, such as Prairie Village and Leawood, have tighter rules or limitations. So homeowners like Shull are trying to figure out what they can and can’t do.
The World Cup is already prompting discussions about topics other than soccer like, finances and regulations.
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