Ken Paxton may have followed the MAGA playbook to the letter, but the tourists are still staying home. Analysis from CNN shows a staggering collapse of 4 million international visitors in 2025. That is $14 billion in vanished spending. Even with the 2026 FIFA World Cup arriving next month, the numbers in New York are looking as thin as a diet cocktail.

MetLife Stadium is set to host the final, but hotel bookings aren't hitting the ceiling yet. For years, the promise was economic transformation. Now, the reality is a 5.5% drop in global visitors. Some experts argue that mega-events like this actually push the regulars away. Why fight a million soccer fans for a table at Balthazar when you can just stay in London?

The drama isn't just in the hotels. FIFA is currently locked in a nasty row over the Iranian “lion-and-sun” flag. Opponents of the Islamic Republic want to fly the old banner, but the politics of sport are never that simple. It is a dispute over identity and representation that threatens to overshadow the opening whistle.

Mexico is also feeling the heat. Host cities like Guadalajara and Monterrey are seeing improved review scores, but guests are still complaining about bad Wi-Fi and leaky faucets. The 4-star hotels are outperforming the big names, proving that execution matters more than the category on the door.

The World Cup was supposed to be the great American comeback. Instead, it is looking like a party where the host forgot to send out the invitations. With $5,000 expected spending per visitor, the stakes are high. But if the tourists don't show up, we’ll be left with empty stadiums and a very expensive bill for the confetti.