Airbnb announces local investment with FIFA World Cup 26™ NYNJ Host Committee to build community legacy

Airbnb has announced a local investment with the FIFA World Cup 26™ New York New Jersey Host Committee to support New York City and New Jersey communities, ensuring residents share in the benefits of hosting the FIFA World Cup 26™ beyond the tournament. As part of the Airbnb Host City Impact Program, Airbnb will commit over $1 million to the NYNJ Host Committee's legacy initiative to fund new soccer mini-pitches in communities and support two community celebrations during the tournament. The announcement was made at a community event in Brooklyn in partnership with the NYNJ Host Committee, and alongside community leaders, elected officials, and local youth from the Chinatown YMCA Beacon, Junior Achievement of New York, and the City in the Community foundation.

This investment builds on Airbnb's multi-tournament partnership with FIFA spanning the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, the FIFA World Cup 26™, and the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027™. The Airbnb Host City Impact Program is a central part of this partnership, designed to strengthen host communities while enhancing the overall tournament experience.

Creating a lasting legacy for New York and New Jersey that benefits everyone

Good tourism leaves behind strong legacies for everyone. In New York and New Jersey, the Airbnb Host City Impact Program will focus on three community-driven initiatives:

• Building five new soccer mini-pitches across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and New Jersey to support youth soccer in collaboration with the U.S. Soccer Foundation
• Sponsoring the Queens Community Day - a celebration bringing together local groups and residents ahead of the tournament
• Hosting a Bronx fan day - a free community event to create shared experiences for residents and visitors

These projects create lasting spaces for play, celebration and connection - ensuring the impact of the FIFA World Cup 26 is felt far beyond the tournament itself while also fostering a sense of belonging during the tournament.

"Hosting the FIFA World Cup is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our region, and this investment ensures that its impact will be felt well beyond the tournament. We want this World Cup to inspire the next generation, teaching them life skills that only sports can offer, while hopefully motivating the next stars of US Soccer. Through today's announcement, we are creating pathways for young people to learn, grow, and lead through the power of the game."

Alex Lasry, CEO, NYNJ Host Committee

"New York and New Jersey will welcome the world next summer, bringing in $228 million to the tri-state area from short-term rentals alone. Our goal is to make sure communities across the tri-state area share in the benefits. This investment creates spaces that are accessible for everyone to come together and cheer on their favorite teams or step onto the pitch to play themselves."

Jay Carney, Global Head of Policy and Communications, Airbnb

"As we prepare to welcome the FIFA World Cup to New York City, it's essential that every neighborhood and every borough is included. Sports is more than entertainment, it can also be a powerful force for community building, youth development, and social change. It brings people together across cultures and backgrounds, instills values like teamwork and perseverance, and creates opportunities both on and off the field. By creating new soccer spaces and inviting community groups into the heart of the celebration, Airbnb and New York New Jersey Host Committee is helping foster the next generation of athletes, leaders, and dreamers."

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson

"For communities across Queens, soccer is more than a game - it's a shared language that connects us across cultures. That's why Airbnb's investment ahead of FIFA World Cup 26 matters - it will help ensure the tournament leaves a lasting legacy with a new soccer pitch that will give young players a place to grow and share this heritage, while supporting the neighborhoods and small businesses that make Queens shine as the World's Borough."

Council Member Francisco Moya

"Today's commitment is the kind of leadership and vision The Bronx and our city need - investments that don't just look at a single event, but build meaningful opportunities that leave a lasting legacy. Airbnb's community initiatives ahead of the FIFA World Cup 26 mean that our borough will share in the opportunities, jobs, and celebration of every culture that comes with hosting an event of this magnitude."

New York State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Bronx

Projected economic impact for New York and New Jersey

During the tournament, Airbnb hosts are expected to welcome approximately 25,000 guests across the tri-state area. That activity is projected to generate $288 million in GDP, support over 1,100 full-time equivalent jobs through 2026, and deliver nearly $6,000 in supplemental income to each local host. These benefits highlight how hosting spreads visitor spending to neighborhood shops, restaurants and small businesses.

About the Airbnb Host City Impact Program

The Airbnb Host City Impact Program is a dedicated initiative associated with Airbnb's partnership with FIFA. It includes $5 million in support for select projects in host cities that foster economic growth and enhance the event experience for residents and visitors. Additional host city projects will be announced in the lead-up to FIFA World Cup 26.

What community leaders are saying

"Since its inception, the NYNJ Host Committee has been working to ensure that this global event leaves a positive and lasting impact for youth across New York and New Jersey. We're thrilled that Airbnb is investing in creating mini-pitches to provide easier access to safe places to play where youth can develop critical life skills, create bonds with their peers, and learn and grow alongside coach-mentors. These new mini-pitches will provide lasting benefits for generations to come."

Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO, U.S. Soccer Foundation

"Soccer is a powerful platform that brings families and communities together across languages, generations, and cultures. The YMCA is proud to partner with the NYNJ Host Committee to make soccer more accessible to New Yorkers in advance of the 2026 World Cup - and for decades to come. We are grateful to Airbnb for their investment, which will help create a lasting, meaningful legacy for the FIFA World Cup and help children throughout New York City use soccer to work and play together and develop critical life skills."

Sharon Greenberger, President and CEO, YMCA of Greater New York

"Junior Achievement of New York is honored to join Airbnb and the New York FIFA Host Committee in celebrating this exciting initiative that empowers youth through meaningful experiences and lasting investments. Building soccer pitches in the outer boroughs is a powerful step toward creating equitable opportunities and inspiring future leaders."

Adrienne Hadaway, Program Lead, JA Ambassador Program, Junior Achievement of New York

"Hosting the FIFA World Cup in our region is a monumental moment for soccer in the US and gives a platform and opportunity to enact a real, lasting change for youth sports. The New York New Jersey Host Committee is playing a vital role in making a difference, providing an additional platform and support for important community work like our '26 for 26' initiative to build soccer pitches and provide youth access to free programming for years to come. Let's continue to use this massive moment to enact and leave a legacy that benefits future generations."

Bailee Eaglin, Director of Community Development, City in the Community