play host to

idiomatic phrase

: to serve as a host for (someone or something)

Each year, the city plays host to the film festival for one week.

As travel to the Third World has expanded, so, too, has concern about the damage wrought by mass tourism on the people and places that play host to wandering North Americans and Europeans.

—Ira Silver

St. John's meets No. 3-ranked Duke and the Big East rival Miami on the road, and will play host to No. 4 Syracuse, No. 13 Connecticut and surging Seton Hall at the Garden.

—Jon Drape

The grasslands play host to [=provide a home for] long-billed curlews and sage grouse, and eagles, osprey and coyotes scavenge the area.

—Kay Clark

Examples of play host to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In May of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin played host to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in the Grand Kremlin Palace, just ahead of major celebrations in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. —Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is playing host to nine World Cup matches between early June and mid-July. —Josh Roberts, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026

Also on Saturday, Orange Lutheran plays host to the 16th Matson Classic. —Dan Albano, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026

Fast forward to Monday, when the Clippers played host to the Golden State Warriors on national television. —Law Murray, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for play host to

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue