Airbnb offers $1K to Toronto World Cup landlords. Will it shift the rental market?
Global News
Some in Toronto are concerned about the effects the policy could have on an already-expensive rental market for the residents left behind when soccer's biggest tournament moves on.
Airbnb calls it the “biggest new host incentive program ever” — $1,000 for anyone in Toronto who signs up for its platform and rents out their place around the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Demand for World Cup stays on Airbnb is surging, giving residents of host cities the opportunity to boost their incomes by sharing their homes and the communities they love,” Airbnb’s chief business officer Dave Stephenson said.
“There’s truly never been a better time to become a host on Airbnb.”
However, in Toronto, some are concerned about the effects the policy could have on an already-expensive rental market for the residents left behind when soccer’s biggest tournament moves on.
Tom Slee, a member of the advocacy group Fairbnb and a writer, suggested the World Cup offered an opportunity for Airbnb to attract new long-term hosts.
Rather than just boosting its supply of houses for a few weeks around the tournament, it could move some rentals from long-term leases into the short-term market.
“There’s always a danger with Airbnb that it is always trying to expand its footprint in cities, it’s always trying what opportunities it can, and there’s a danger that, as it does so, that it drives housing stock out of long-term housing,” he explained.
The timeline of the offer underscores the concern. Toronto will only host World Cup matches from June 12 to July 2; the offer rewards anyone who completes a booking before the end of July — weeks after the event is over.
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