World Cup study puts US$1.9bn direct-spending figure under spotlight
New York and New Jersey say the World Cup generated US$3.5bn of regional economic output, providing one of the first substantial post-tournament datasets for future hosts assessing the returns from football’s biggest event.
The 2026 World Cup generated an estimated US$3.5bn of economic activity across New York and New Jersey, with US$1.9bn coming from direct spending, according to a post-event study by Tourism Economics.The analysis estimates the tournament supported more than 27,000 jobs, generated around US$1.4bn of labour income and produced more than US$414m in state and local tax revenues.New York New Jersey Host Committee chief executive Alex Lasry said: “We exceeded expectations and delivered an impact that will be felt long after the final whistle.”More than 645,000 spectators attended the region’s eight matches, including the final, while around 626,000 non-local visitors participated in matches, fan events and other World Cup activity.Match and non-match visitors generated about US$1.7bn in direct expenditure. Lodging accounted for approximately US$653m, followed by food and beverage at US$346m, retail at US$264m and transportation at US$200m. Operational spending connected with staging the tournament contributed another US$286m.The study is commercially useful because it separates direct spending from the larger economic-output headline produced after indirect and induced effects are included.Its US$3.5bn total comprises the US$1.9bn of direct activity plus approximately US$693m of indirect business activity and US$916m of induced activity.That distinction matters when cities and governments evaluate event economics. Economic impact measures activity generated across the wider economy, but it does not by itself establish the net return to taxpayers after infrastructure, transport, policing, security and other public costs are deducted.That issue has become particularly relevant following evidence from other World Cup host regions showing that public agencies absorbed significant event-delivery costs.The New York/New Jersey study nevertheless gives future hosts useful benchmarks around visitor yield, tax generation, employment and sector-by-sector spending. It also exceeded the region’s pre-event projection of US$3.3bn in total output.A complete assessment of host return will depend on reconciling those economic benefits with the total public and private costs incurred to deliver the tournament.