⚽️🥇 Host City Watch: STR Rules in Play (2)
Host cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are ramping up STR enforcement. Boston, MA; Miami, FL; Philadelphia; PA; San Francisco Bay Area, CA; Seattle, WA; Canada; Vancouver; Toronto; Mexico; Mexico City; Guadalajara; Monterrey. READ MORE.
Genelaine Urbano
READ: ⚽️🥇 Host City Watch: STR Rules in Play (1)
With World Cup 2026 fast approaching, local governments across host cities in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada are preparing for an influx of tourists, athletes, and fans from around the world.
With short-term rentals playing a crucial role in accommodating these visitors, here's how different cities are approaching the regulation and management of the STR market.
Boston short-term rental operators must register with the city and comply with Massachusetts lodging tax rules, which apply to stays of 31 days or less.
Operators renting for more than 14 days annually are responsible for collecting and remitting the state’s room occupancy excise tax, local tax, and convention center tax — unless they authorize a platform like Airbnb or Vrbo to do so on their behalf. Regardless of platform involvement, all hosts must register with the state’s Department of Revenue. Rentals under $15 per night are exempt from tax.
During Boston’s seven World Cup matches from June 13 to July 9, 2026, Airbnb is expected to play a significant role in accommodating tourists and boosting local spending.
Based on projected demand, an estimated 17,000 Airbnb guests will contribute around 122,000 guest nights, out of approximately 164,000 total visitors needing lodging in Boston and surrounding areas. These guests are expected to spend about $560 per night, combining both lodging and other local expenses, with $202 going toward accommodation and the remaining $358 on food, transport, and other activities.
In Miami, short-term rentals are officially classified as a “lodging use,” meaning operators must secure a city-issued Building Certificate before legally offering their properties.
STR hosts are also required to register for a Tourist Tax Account with Miami-Dade County, collect lodging taxes on stays of six months or less, and file monthly returns—even if they're using platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo. While these marketplaces do handle county and state tax collection for bookings made through their sites, hosts who receive direct payments must register for a Florida state tax certificate and obtain a state business license to stay compliant.
Moreover, local real estate professionals are highlighting a surge in short-term rental (STR) opportunities expected to reshape the market during the World Cup.
Drawing from historical data in past host cities like Brazil and Qatar—where STR prices and property values jumped significantly—analysts anticipate premium short-term rental rates in Miami could climb by 150–200% during the event. High-demand zones include luxury condos in downtown Miami, Brickell, and Miami Beach, especially those near key transportation corridors.
Philadelphia’s short-term rental regulations, enacted in January 2023, are reshaping how hosts operate as the city braces for a World Cup tourism surge in 2026.
While aimed at curbing nuisance rentals and enforcing better oversight, hosts now face an extensive permitting process involving zoning variances, inspections, and hearings that can take up to a year—during which time they can’t legally operate.
As of 2025, Philadelphia allows short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb, but hosts must navigate a detailed regulatory framework that separates properties into two types: Limited Lodging for owner-occupied homes and Visitor Accommodations for non-owner-occupied ones.
To operate legally, hosts need a Commercial Activity License, the appropriate zoning permit and rental license, liability insurance of at least $500,000, and a BIRT tax account to collect the city’s 8.5% hotel tax.
Properties must comply with health and safety standards, including functional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Exemptions exist for primary residences rented out for fewer than 90 days a year, but zoning restrictions still apply—especially in overlay districts where STRs may be prohibited altogether.
San Francisco's short-term rental program is one of the most detailed in the country, requiring hosts to be full-time residents who live in the home they rent out for at least 275 nights per year.
To operate legally, hosts must first register their business with the city’s Treasurer & Tax Collector, then apply for STR certification through the Planning Department, submitting proof of insurance, primary residence, and a $500+ application fee. Hosted rentals (where the host is present) have no annual limit, while un-hosted stays are capped at 90 nights per year. The city is strict about compliance: hosts must submit quarterly rental reports, renew their business license annually, pay the 14% Transient Occupancy Tax, and file a personal property tax statement.
Airbnb’s projected footprint during the 2026 World Cup in the San Francisco Bay Area shows how short-term rentals are expected to contribute significantly to the region’s visitor economy.
Around 12,000 visitors are estimated to stay in Airbnb listings across the city and nearby areas between June 13 and July 1, contributing about 92,000 guest nights.
Seattle requires all short-term rental operators to obtain both a city-issued STR license and a business license tax certificate before listing properties. In addition to local licensing, operators must register with the Washington State Department of Revenue and collect applicable state lodging taxes.
Washington’s HB 1882 proposes a temporary 2% state lodging tax on short-term stays between April 1 and September 30, 2026—timed with the FIFA World Cup in Seattle. The tax would apply only to stays under 30 days and aims to capture tourism-driven revenue. Under the bill, 50% of proceeds would go toward state tourism, 25% to county governments, and 25% to programs for victims of human trafficking.
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Canada
Vancouver
Vancouver’s new short-term lodging tax took effect February 1, adding a major events levy of $2.50 per $100 to all accommodations including hotels and STRs like Airbnb and Vrbo.
This charge applies without exception, scaling based on room rates, and comes on top of the existing 3% provincial accommodation tax. The tax will stay in place through 2030, with the B.C. government expecting to raise $230 million to support the city’s role in hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. The province promises that all funds raised will go directly to World Cup-related costs, including planning and hosting.
As Vancouver marks one year to go before it hosts seven games of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, concerns over visitor accommodations and safety planning remain front and center.
While officials anticipate roughly 350,000 visitors during the tournament, the city only has 13,000 hotel rooms—down 550 rooms since 2020, largely due to older hotels being converted into housing. Short-term rentals are also expected to help fill the gap, with some residents likely to list their homes during the tournament. However, both provincial and city rules apply, including business licensing requirements for STR operators in Vancouver.
Toronto
Toronto is moving ahead with a temporary 2.5% increase to its Municipal Accommodation Tax, bumping the total to 8.5% from June 2025 through July 2026, as part of its strategy to help fund its $380 million FIFA World Cup hosting costs.
City staff say the short-term rental and hotel surcharge could generate $56.6 million in revenue and is one of the most direct ways Toronto can capture economic activity from the event without touching the property tax base. With procurement costs rising above forecasted levels, the city is also looking into commercial sales, merchandise, music royalties, and Fan Festival income to close a remaining $95 million funding gap.
Mexico
Mexico City
Mexico City is now leading the charge in regulating short-term rentals, implementing strict rules that require all hosts to register with a newly established Host Registry and cap property occupancy at 50% of the year.
Since 2024, platforms like Airbnb must also register and ensure all listings display official folio numbers, with both hosts and platforms required to submit detailed biannual occupancy reports. These rules are part of sweeping amendments to the city’s Tourism and Housing Laws designed to balance STR growth with protections for local communities and affordable housing. Violations, including exceeding the occupancy cap or operating social housing units as STRs, can lead to revoked registrations.
Guadalajara
With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, Mexican lawmakers in the Futuro party are pushing to pass short-term rental regulations next month that would apply across Jalisco, including Airbnb-heavy cities like Guadalajara, Zapopan, and Puerto Vallarta.
Representative Mariana Casillas Guerrero says the reforms aim to curb gentrification and speculation by capping rental periods, creating platform databases, and sanctioning vacant homes. The legislation would amend the State Civil Code and set the stage for a rent cap policy as well.
In Guadalajara’s Americana neighborhood alone, STRs now make up 17% of available housing, with over 11,000 listings in the metro area. Casillas stresses the urgency of approving the bill before the World Cup crowds arrive next June.
Monterrey
Monterrey is gearing up for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with ambitious infrastructure projects and sustainability initiatives, aiming to deliver a seamless experience for international visitors.
Yet, alongside these developments, the city faces challenges familiar to other host cities: rapidly rising rents and housing shortages fueled by tourism-driven demand and short-term rental platforms.
Short-term rental hosts in Monterrey face a regulatory landscape combining federal tax obligations, local licensing, and pending state discussions on rental controls.
Federally, all hosts must register with SAT and pay VAT and income taxes, with Airbnb automatically handling VAT collection since 2022. Locally, Monterrey’s 2022 ordinance enforces a 3% lodging tax collected via platforms, mandates annual permits for rentals under 30 days, and requires hosts to submit detailed applications including ownership proof, SAT registration, property floor plans, and safety certifications.
The Role of Airbnb in the FIFA World Cup 2026
Mexico: Guadalajara - Mexico City -Monterrey
United States: Atlanta - Boston - Dallas - Houston - Kansas City - Los Angeles - Miami - New York New Jersey - Philadelphia - San Francisco Bay Area - Seattle
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