Clifton Allows Short-Term World Cup Rentals

Clifton has opened a temporary legal window for homeowners to rent to World Cup visitors, after the city adopted short-term rental rules and set the program to expire on Dec. 31, 2026 unless officials extend it. (cliftonnj.org) (realtor.com) The Clifton Municipal Council introduced the city’s short-term rental ordinance on Jan. 20, 2026, and took it up for final passage on Feb. 3, creating a new chapter of city code for rentals of less than 30 days. (cliftonnj.org) City paperwork now shows Clifton is accepting short-term rental applications through its zoning office, with a $500 annual registration fee, a $75 fire inspection fee, proof of ownership, state identification, and at least $500,000 in liability insurance. (cliftonnj.org 1) (cliftonnj.org 2) Hosts also have to name a “responsible party” who answers calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can respond in person within one hour, according to the city’s application form. (cliftonnj.org) The timing is tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, where eight matches are scheduled between June 13 and July 19, 2026. Clifton sits a few miles west of the stadium, putting it inside the spillover market for visitors who cannot find hotel rooms nearby. (realtor.com) (northjersey.com) That matters in North Jersey because short-term rental rules are set town by town, not by a single statewide New Jersey law. Realtor.com, citing NJ.com’s survey, reported that 75 New Jersey municipalities do not permit short-term rentals, including East Rutherford, Carlstadt and Lyndhurst near the stadium. (realtor.com) (nj.com) Airbnb has been trying to add supply before the tournament. Realtor.com reported that the platform offered a $750 bonus to new hosts in surrounding towns who signed up and completed a first rental by July 31, 2026. (realtor.com) The money at stake is already visible in nearby listings. NorthJersey.com reported in January that some hosts were asking $16,000 or more for a three-night stay during the weekend of the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. (northjersey.com) Clifton built its rules around inspections and housing enforcement as well as tourism demand. The city’s checklist bars illegal basement or attic sleeping, limits occupancy to two people per legal bedroom, and requires smoke and carbon monoxide detectors before a permit is issued. (cliftonnj.org) The tradeoff is the same one other New Jersey towns are debating before the tournament: more visitor revenue for owners and the city, against the risk that homes shift out of the long-term market during a summer when rooms near MetLife will be scarce. Clifton’s answer, for now, is a permit system with an end date. (cliftonnj.org) (realtor.com)