Hospitality employers in World Cup host cities appear to be entering an early hiring race ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Data from OysterLink, a job platform for the restaurant and hospitality industry, show job postings across the 11 U.S. host metros climbed 30.3% in May compared with the January-April average, while non-host markets saw hiring decline 23.8%.
Philadelphia was the fastest-growing World Cup host market for hospitality hiring, with postings rising 83% above the January-April monthly average. Boston (+61%) and Atlanta (+55%) also recorded major increases, while Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth posted strong gains as hotels, restaurants and event operators expanded recruitment ahead of expected tourism demand.
The strongest hiring growth is concentrated in positions directly connected to tourism, events and guest services. Hotel managers, event coordinators, valets, delivery drivers and front-of-house restaurant staff — including bartenders, servers and hosts — are among the roles with the biggest increases across host markets.
“The fact that host-city hiring is rising while many other markets are slowing tells a bigger story,” said Milos Eric, general manager at OysterLink. “Hotels, restaurants and event operators clearly expect demand to ramp up well before the first match begins.”
The sharp contrast between host and non-host markets suggests World Cup-related economic activity is already influencing regional labor demand. Even established tourism hubs such as New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area posted notable gains in hospitality hiring in May as businesses expanded staffing ahead of the tournament.
New York/New Jersey, which will host eight matches at MetLife Stadium, including the final on July 19, posted a 23% increase in job postings.
Check out the full data list and growth percentages from ROI-NJ.