The 2026 FIFA World Cup, currently underway across the United States, Canada and Mexico, is not only the world's biggest football tournament but also one of the largest economic events on the planet. The expanded 48-team competition is generating billions of dollars in economic activity through broadcasting rights, sponsorship deals, tourism and the hospitality sector. The tournament is expected to contribute $40.9 billion to global GDP and generate an overall economic impact of $80.1 billion worldwide, report agencies.
Those projections have become central to the commercial narrative surrounding the expanded tournament, though economists remain divided over how much of that value will ultimately reach host cities and local taxpayers.
Those figures also raise an important question: who actually benefits when the world's biggest sporting event arrives in town? The answer is more complicated than a headline figure.
Together, the three host cities represent nearly 30 per cent of world GDP and all three have been IMF members since December 1945, just weeks after the Bretton Woods system came into effect. The US is expected to receive the largest share of the economic impact as the primary host nation, hosting 78 matches, while Canada and Mexico will each host 13 of the remaining 26 games.
International broadcasting rights, merchandise manufacturing, and global sponsorships spread the economic ripple effect worldwide.
Around 6.5 million tourists are expected to travel to the host cities during the tournament and these tourists will spend around $14 billion on accommodation, food, and transportation.
Foreign visitors plan to stay an average of 12 days and spend $416 daily.
The US is also expected to host around 1.24 million international visitors, with 60% projected to be new tourists traveling specifically for the event, according to Oxford Economics.
The preparation and operation phases created 824,000 full-time jobs globally. The US alone secured approximately 185,000 of these new employment opportunities across its 11 host cities.
The US, Canada, and Mexico expect to collect roughly $9.4 billion in additional tax revenues.
Los Angeles anticipates a $594 million economic impact from the eight matches it hosts, according to a report by Micronomics Economic Research and Consulting.
This local revenue surpasses the economic impact of previous Super Bowl events held in the Californian city.
Dallas also expects an economic boost of nearly $400 million from hosting nine matches at the AT&T Stadium.
Mega sporting events have always created economic ripples. The scale of the 2026 World Cup, however, is unprecedented.
More matches mean more travelling fans. More travelling fans mean more hotel bookings, airline tickets, restaurant visits, merchandise sales and advertising inventory. For businesses, that translates into six weeks of unusually concentrated consumer spending.
Industry estimates suggest millions of visitors could travel across North America during the tournament, creating one of the busiest periods ever experienced by host cities. Hotels, airlines, ride-sharing companies and food delivery platforms are all expected to see a surge in demand as supporters move between venues in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
World Cup to add $40.9b to global GDP
FIFA-WTO assessment reveals
FE Team | Published: June 15, 2026 23:51:40
World Cup to add $40.9b to global GDP
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