diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/66764-host-pattern-warning.yml b/changelogs/fragments/66764-host-pattern-warning.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..df76073e0ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/66764-host-pattern-warning.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - Fix incorrect "Could not match supplied host pattern" warning (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/66764)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
index f84fff09e57..35dfc558c8e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class Play(Base, Taggable, CollectionSearch):
     """
 
     # =================================================================================
-    _hosts = FieldAttribute(isa='list', required=True, listof=string_types, always_post_validate=True)
+    _hosts = FieldAttribute(isa='list', required=True, listof=string_types, always_post_validate=True, priority=-1)
 
     # Facts
     _gather_facts = FieldAttribute(isa='bool', default=None, always_post_validate=True)
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/include_import/empty_group_warning/playbook.yml b/test/integration/targets/include_import/empty_group_warning/playbook.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6da5b7c3f53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/include_import/empty_group_warning/playbook.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+- hosts: localhost
+  gather_facts: false
+  tasks:
+    - name: Group
+      group_by:
+        key: test_{{ inventory_hostname }}
+
+- hosts: test_localhost
+  gather_facts: false
+  tasks:
+    - name: Print
+      import_tasks: tasks.yml
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/include_import/empty_group_warning/tasks.yml b/test/integration/targets/include_import/empty_group_warning/tasks.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2fbad77337c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/include_import/empty_group_warning/tasks.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+- name: test
+  debug:
+    msg: hello
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/include_import/runme.sh b/test/integration/targets/include_import/runme.sh
index 199cd472bc3..f72a6ebaddc 100755
--- a/test/integration/targets/include_import/runme.sh
+++ b/test/integration/targets/include_import/runme.sh
@@ -108,3 +108,6 @@ ansible-playbook valid_include_keywords/playbook.yml "$@"
 # https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/64902
 ansible-playbook tasks/test_allow_single_role_dup.yml 2>&1 | tee test_allow_single_role_dup.out
 test "$(grep -c 'ok=3' test_allow_single_role_dup.out)" = 1
+
+# https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/66764
+ANSIBLE_HOST_PATTERN_MISMATCH=error ansible-playbook empty_group_warning/playbook.yml