The 2026 World Cup Could Bring the Most Economic Benefits to the US

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States (US).

This international football tournament is expected to bring global economic benefits, especially for the US as one of the hosts.

The estimated economic impact is documented in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Socioeconomic Impact Analysis report released by FIFA and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The report calculates several types of economic impacts from the 2026 World Cup, including:

1. Gross output: The total value of goods and services produced, reflecting the scale of economic activity.
2. Gross domestic product (GDP): The total value of goods and services produced in a country over a certain period, adjusted for intermediate consumption, as an indicator of economic growth.
3. Labour income: The total earnings of workers, including wages, salaries, and benefits.

FIFA and WTO estimate that the 2026 World Cup could create a global gross output impact of US$80.07 billion. However, about 38% of this will be received by the US, while the remaining 62% will be divided among other countries.

The impact of the 2026 World Cup on global GDP is estimated to reach US$40.92 billion, with 42% of this going to the US.

There is also an impact in the form of global labour income worth US$20.77 billion, with 49% of this going to the US.

"The expenditures for the FIFA World Cup 2026 generate an impact on Value Added that propagates along the value chains of the US economy, with the Accommodation and Food sector benefiting the most, followed by Real Estate and Wholesale and Retail," FIFA said in its report.

Here are the details of the estimated economic impact of the 2026 World Cup, quoted from FIFA and WTO reports:

Gross output

• US: US$30.46 billion
• Rest of the world: US$49.61 billion
• Total global impact: US$80.07 billion

GDP

• US: US$17.15 billion
• Rest of the world: US$23.77 billion
• Total global impact: US$40.92 billion

Labour income

• US: US$10.23 billion
• Rest of the world: US$10.54 billion
• Total global impact: US$20.77 billion