How the 2026 World Cup could shape Miami’s tourism industry in 2027

What happens after a city hosts the world? Miami is about to find out.In 2026 the city hosted seven FIFA World Cup matches, including a quarterfinal and the bronze final.

The city’s broader calendar also featured the College Football Playoff national championship game, the World Baseball Classic and the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.open image in galleryIn 2026 the city hosted seven FIFA World Cup matches, including a quarterfinal and the bronze final (Getty Images)The question now is whether this global exposure in 2026 will translate into sustained tourism demand in 2027.As dean of one of the nation’s leading hospitality schools, I research trends affecting tourism, travel behavior and the hospitality industry in one of the country’s most international visitor markets.

My work keeps me closely connected to industry leaders and destination partners across South Florida. Based on the latest economic indicators and South Florida’s calendar of major events, 2027 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the area’s visitor economy.Right now the data points to fewer domestic budget travelers but more – and higher-spending – international ones.

The fall of SpiritStart with the biggest shock: the closure of Spirit Airlines in May 2026. The ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered in South Florida was the dominant airline at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for years. But in spring 2026, jet fuel prices roughly doubled amid the fuel crisis triggered by conflict in the Middle East, and when a hoped-for federal rescue fell through.

Only months earlier the airline had planned 100 peak daily departures from Fort Lauderdale in 2026. That capacity is now gone.The consequences of this for 2027 fall unevenly.

Ultra-low-cost carriers make their living on price-sensitive leisure travelers, such as the families and spontaneous weekenders who fill Florida hotel rooms in the shoulder seasons of April to May and September to November.With Spirit’s seats gone and fuel costs pushing fares up across the airline industry, the cheapest tier of air travel to Florida has thinned considerably. Some of those trips will likely migrate to remaining carriers at higher fares.

Others simply will not happen.Then there are Florida residents, who accounted for about 9.1 million visits to Greater Miami in 2025, including 4.

8 million overnight visitors and 4.3 million day-trippers. This segment is best insulated from the airline price shock, which will help 2027 visitation.

open image in galleryThen there are Florida residents, who accounted for about 9.1 million visits to Greater Miami in 2025 (Getty Images)International travelEven before the latest concerns about fuel prices and Spirit Airlines’ closure, Greater Miami’s international market was inconsistent. In 2025 the area’s international visitation declined 2.

8% to about 6.26 million total international travelers.Overnight visitors from Colombia, Brazil and Canada decreased, for a loss of roughly 75,000 visitors compared to 2024.

Growth from the U.K., Italy and Argentina nearly offset that loss, adding about 73,000 visitors combined, but those gains were not enough to reverse the overall decline in international visitation.

This matters because international visitors tend to punch above their weight economically. In Greater Miami they accounted for roughly US$7.2 billion in spending in 2025, about 5% more than the prior year, even as total international visitation dipped 2.

8%. This suggests people are staying longer and spending more.Early 2026 showed signs of a rebound from that dip.

U.S. inbound international travel fell 5.

5% in 2025, and early 2026 has been uneven nationally. But Florida’s gateways remain a bright spot: In the first quarter of 2026, Miami, Orlando and Tampa together processed about 1.59 million international arrivals; 1.

13 million of those arrivals were to Miami International Airport alone. Meanwhile, JFK and Newark airports welcomed slightly more overseas arrivals at 1.15 million, but this is down 7% from the first quarter of 2025 for those destinations.

Carrying the momentum forwardEarly media research suggests that the World Cup may help carry Greater Miami’s tourism momentum into 2027. The Miami Host Committee reported that the FIFA Fan Festival Miami drew more than 600,000 fans over 24 days at Bayfront Park, alongside more than 70 match broadcasts, 1,000 performers, dozens of food and beverage vendors and family-friendly activities.If they had a good time, the more than 64,000 fans who attended these matches may plan a return trip to Miami.

Still, 2027 has no World Cup, no CFP championship, no World Baseball Classic.But the calendar is not empty – it’s simply different. Miami Beach is hosting the Professional Convention Management Association Convening Leaders in January 2027, effectively giving thousands of the world’s meeting planners a chance to experience Miami’s beaches, nightlife and cultural amenities.

The convention pipeline behind this event is unusually stro