World Cup demand sparks lodging scramble in Kansas City

Kansas City is preparing for a surge of visitors as it gets ready to host World Cup matches this summer, with hotel availability and short-term rentals already tightening months before the first game kicks off.

Tourism officials estimate hundreds of thousands of visitors could pass through the metro during the tournament, while the city has roughly 36,000 hotel rooms. Some of those rooms are under contract with FIFA and unavailable to the general public, adding pressure to an already competitive lodging market.