The 2026 World Cup is expected to generate significant short-term economic activity in the United States, officials with BMO Economics said in a new report, including up to $81 billion in incremental quarterly GDP.
The United States is expected to attract roughly four fifths of the total World Cup fan spending across North America. The spending will be supported by a higher concentration of host cities and larger stadium capacities, and an increase in international and domestic travel demand. Tourism-related spending is expected to account for between $22 and $76 billion, with an additional $1 to $5 billion added for increased domestic consumption.
“Despite bookings lagging behind initial expectations in the United States, the sheer volume of matches being played in the U.S. nearly assures the bulk of the economic benefit still lands domestically,” Scott Anderson, US Chief Economist with BMO, said.
Running between June 11 and July 19, the world championship soccer tournament will feature 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Two thirds of the host cities are located in the U.S., leading to the country potentially capturing the majority of the economic benefits.
“Mega sporting events create a meaningful but temporary demand boost,” Douglas Porter, Chief Economist with BMO, said. “In the U.S., we expect strong gains across tourism, accommodation, food services and entertainment, particularly in host markets.”
Overall, the tournament could contribute a 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent point increase in quarterly annualized GDP growth in the country during the second and third quarters of this year. The most significant uptick in demand will be seen in hotels, airlines, restaurants and entertainment venues.
But the gains will not be long-lasting.
“These gains are significant, but they are not permanent,” Porter said. “They reflect a surge in activity tied to the event rather than a long-term shift in economic growth.”