Should I book World Cup hotels now or wait?

Book now if you need a specific city, match dates, location near the stadium, or rooms for a group—but use refundable rates where possible. Waiting may work if you are flexible on neighborhood, hotel class, or even host city, because some hotels are reportedly not filling rooms as quickly as expected. The safest strategy is to lock in a cancellable booking now, then re-check rates regularly and switch if prices drop.

Practical rule:

1. Going to a high-demand match or traveling with family/group: book now, refundable.
2. Flexible solo/couple trip: book a cancellable backup now, then watch prices.
3. Luxury or stadium-adjacent hotel: book sooner; those options can disappear first.
4. Non-refundable deal: only book if your match tickets, flights, and dates are firm.

Do not wait with no backup unless you are comfortable with higher rates, worse locations, or changing plans.