The 2026 FIFA World Cup could generate billions of dollars in economic activity across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, according to an Instagram Reel published by the University of Oxford featuring economist Florian Trouvain.
Trouvain, an associate professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Oxford, explained that the tournament is likely to create a significant surge in local spending as millions of international visitors travel to North America to attend matches and related events.
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Speaking in the video, Trouvain described the World Cup as a “temporary foreign demand shock” that resembles an export boom. However, unlike traditional export booms that involve goods such as automobiles or manufactured products being shipped abroad, the World Cup generates demand for goods and services consumed locally by foreign visitors.
“What’s special about the World Cup is that customers from all over the world are going to come to North America and Mexico and consume locally, thereby creating lots of local demand,” he said.
To illustrate the scale of the potential impact, Trouvain suggested that if approximately one million tourists visit the host countries and each spends around $5,000 during their stay, the resulting revenue could reach roughly $5 billion. Such spending would benefit sectors including hospitality, transportation, restaurants, entertainment, and tourism-related services.
However, Trouvain emphasized that revenue alone does not determine whether hosting a World Cup is economically worthwhile. He noted that economists distinguish between revenue and profit, making it necessary to consider the costs associated with staging the tournament.
Historically, many World Cup host nations have invested heavily in new infrastructure and stadium construction. In some cases, these facilities have become so-called “white elephants” — expensive venues that see limited use after the event concludes. According to Trouvain, the economic success of hosting a mega-event often depends on whether the required infrastructure already exists.
He pointed to the example of MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the venue scheduled to host the 2026 World Cup final, noting that the stadium was already built and operational long before the tournament. The facility reportedly cost approximately $1.6 billion when it was completed in 2010.
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Since the United States, Canada, and Mexico already possess many large stadiums used for soccer and American football, Trouvain argued that the three host nations are in a stronger position than many previous World Cup hosts. The availability of existing infrastructure reduces the need for costly new construction and increases the likelihood that the tournament will provide a positive economic return.
“As they already have the kinds of stadiums that you need to host the World Cup, my sense is that for them, the World Cup most certainly is going to pay off,” Trouvain concluded.