Laura Spanjian Leads Airbnb’s FIFA World Cup Effort in Houston

As she reflects on her life, Laura Spanjian says the word that describes her best is fight. “I have fought for so many things since my early twenties—LGBTQ rights, sustainability and going green in Houston, good regulations for Airbnb, and to do awesome things in communities and cities. I’ve always been willing to push forward and fight, whether it’s my career, my kids, or what I believe is right.”

Spanjian, 54, Airbnb’s Head of Global Public Policy and a member of Houston’s LGBTQ community, is thrilled that Houston is a host city for the FIFA World Cup from June 14 to July 4, 2026. “It’s projected that Houston will see close to $400 million in GDP from FIFA. Airbnb hosts can make anywhere between $3,000 and $4,000 on average during the games, opening up their homes,” she notes.

Airbnb has a team working on FIFA, and they are a sponsor of the global tournament. “We wanted to give back to Houston, to have an impact beyond the games. We are giving money to grow the game in Houston, especially in areas with no soccer fields.”

Airbnb decided to promote FIFA by organizing an activity that would attempt to set a Guinness World Record: lining up 1,036 soccer balls in a continuous line in Hermann Park on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Special guests at the event were soccer legend DeMarcus Beasley and rapper Bun B.

Airbnb hired a production company to acquire the balls, inflate them, and then deliver them to Hermann Park, where the event was held. It took about an hour for participants to get the balls lined up. After the event, some of the balls were given to the kids who attended, and the rest were donated to Houston soccer clubs.

Spanjian says that Airbnb is a great choice for FIFA visitors because it’s so flexible: if they need multiple rooms for their families, or want something more affordable, or choose to stay in a certain neighborhood. “The hosts love the fact that guests are not only going to go to the games, but they will also eat in the local neighborhoods. It’s not just Tex-Mex. There is Cajun crawfish and a wide variety of authentic dishes from other countries. We’re placing visitors throughout the city and spreading the economic benefits.”

Spanjian has been working for Airbnb since 2016. Prior to that, she worked for the San Francisco government for 15 years. She then moved to Houston in 2010 to work for newly elected mayor Annise Parker. After Parker’s three terms were up, Spanjian looked for new employment and liked Airbnb because it had the right mix of meaningful work and helping others.

As head of global public policy, Spanjian oversees five regions—Asia, China, Europe, Latin America, and North America. “We work with elected officials in cities and communities everywhere to ensure fair regulations—like registering a rental home, enforcing health codes, and levying reasonable rental-income taxes.

When she first took over the position, there were only three people who worked with public policy. “We hired some 60 people in the first nine months,” Spanjian remembers. Nearly 200 employees are now on her team around the globe. “We’re shaping policies that are allowing home sharing to thrive,” she says.

Spanjian is especially proud of the work that Airbnb has done to work with cities after natural disasters. In Houston, they paid hosts to open their homes to displaced residents after Hurricane Harvey. In Los Angeles, the firm spent $26 million to house thousands of people for weeks after the deadly wildfires. 

Spanjian and her partner, Susan Christian, have been together for 17 years, and they have two sons, Eli and Ethan. “I think Houston is such a great place to raise the kids. We have three parks literally within walking distance. Our elementary school is two blocks away, and we can walk our boys to school.”

Christian, a former special events manager for the City of Houston, is now the Senior Director of Campus and Community Engagement and Conference Services at Rice University, where she is involved in several FIFA-related events. Rice is also a major sponsor of the Houston World Cup games.

Spanjian was able to get tickets to the event for Christian and their boys. It will be professional and personal coming together, as she will also be bringing along community members and elected officials. Both sons love to play soccer and are very excited about attending the games. 

As a successful businesswoman who is also openly lesbian, Spanjian’s advice to other LGBTQ individuals is “be yourself early. Don’t wait for permission to live your life fully. Find your people, find your community. Not only will it make you feel connected, but it will help you throughout your life. The job I got at Airbnb was because of a friendship I’d made back in my twenties.”

Spanjian, who recently became the executive sponsor of Air Pride, Airbnb’s employee resource group, lives by a quote from Roman poet Virgil: “Fortune favors the bold.” She sees this as a good reminder to take risks, persevere through failures, and continue being courageous. “Don’t overthink everything, make decisions, and keep moving forward.”

Spanjian’s shero is her mother. “She worked two jobs. She didn’t go to college, but she pushed for me to go to the best college I could. She’s just an amazing parent. And I really am who I am today because of her.”