World Cup 2026: Record tourism and economic gains expected
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is projected to generate more than $80 billion in global economic output, providing a major boost to sectors such as tourism, retail, transport, and services.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 11 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico and will be hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
For the first time in World Cup history, the expanded format will feature 48 teams competing in a total of 104 matches, significantly increasing the scale of the competition.
The event is expected to attract around 6.5 million visitors, who may collectively spend up to $13.9 billion. Overall, the tournament is projected to generate $80.1 billion in gross output and contribute $40.9 billion to global gross domestic product, according to a report by FIFA and the World Trade Organization.
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It is also forecast to create approximately 824,000 full-time jobs worldwide.
The month-long tournament will be staged across Vancouver, Toronto, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco.
The final match will take place on July 19 in New Jersey.
With 11 host cities, the United States is expected to account for the majority of the tournament’s economic impact.
In the U.S. alone, the event is projected to create around 185,000 full-time jobs, contribute $17.2 billion to the economy, and generate $3.4 billion in direct and indirect tax revenue.
The United States is also expected to welcome approximately 1.24 million international visitors, with around 60% of them being first-time tourists traveling specifically for the tournament, according to Oxford Economics.
Los Angeles is projected to generate millions in revenue from hosting eight matches, with its total economic impact estimated at $594 million, surpassing that of the 2022 Super Bowl.
However, the tournament is also expected to become increasingly expensive for fans, driven by rising ticket prices and accommodation costs.
International visitors are projected to spend an average of $416 per day, stay in host countries for about 12 days, and attend at least two matches per person.
Host cities are anticipating record hotel occupancy rates and shortages in short-term rental availability during the event period.
Average hotel prices in cities such as Los Angeles, typically around $227 per night, are expected to rise by up to 90% during the tournament, reaching as high as $480, according to Micronomics.
FIFA’s dynamic pricing model is also expected to increase ticket prices based on demand.
Ticket prices will vary depending on category and match importance, with the cheapest group-stage tickets starting at around $700.
During the latest ticket sales round, a Category 1 ticket for the final exceeded $10,000.
By Nijat Babayev
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