As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, the question of whether New York City will relax its short-term rental restrictions to accommodate a large number of soccer fans has become a topic of widespread public interest. However, both the city council leaders and the city government have recently made it clear that they will not temporarily relax regulations on platforms like Airbnb for major events.
According to the New York Post, Airbnb recently supported a new bill aiming to pave the way for the return of the short-term rental market to New York, but the proposal faced strong opposition from several city council committee chairs.
Supporters of amending the law argue that during the World Cup, millions of soccer fans are expected to flock to the New York area, and the existing hotel inventory may struggle to meet the demand. Additionally, hotel union contracts are set to expire during the tournament, and if a strike occurs, the accommodation supply could become even tighter.
The proposed measures include allowing standalone houses to be short-term rented when the landlord is not present and raising the maximum number of short-term rental occupants from 2 to 4 people.
However, in a letter to the city government, the city council leaders stated, “We will not consider this proposal.”
The letter pointed out that there are legitimate reasons for the existence of short-term rental regulations, and even temporary relaxation could undermine housing stability at the most vulnerable time for tenants.
The city government also explicitly expressed support for the city council’s position. Mayor Mamdani’s spokesperson stated, “New York welcomes global visitors to watch the World Cup, but not at the expense of increasing housing costs. The mayor is not currently considering any regulatory changes to short-term rentals that may further burden New Yorkers.”
Since the passage of the short-term rental law (Local Law 18) in 2023, Airbnb has been trying to overturn the related regulations. The law strictly limits rental periods to 30 days or less and is seen as nearly ending New York City’s short-term rental market.
Some business leaders believe the city government’s decision is short-sighted. Steven Fulop, CEO of the Partnership for New York City, representing corporate interests, stated that temporarily opening the short-term rental market could potentially bring billions of dollars in economic benefits to New York City.
He warned that refusing to adjust policies could lead visitors to opt for lower-cost accommodations with less stringent regulations in neighboring New Jersey.