The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought $2 billion in additional revenue to New York City, with travelers spending over $1 billion of that total within the city during the tournament.
New York was responsible for approximately 56% of the $3.5 billion of direct and indirect economic activity produced for the broader New York-New Jersey area, according to an NYCEDC Tourism Economics analysis.
Alas, we do not know how many found their way to the mountains, but they spent around $1.2 billion in the state, plus another $162 million in tournament-related operational spending, creating an estimated 12,100 jobs in hospitality, food service, retail and elsewhere.
Eight matches, ending with the final, were held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, while New York drew visitors and football fans for the other matches.
International Visa spending was up 19% YoY in Brooklyn, 12% in Manhattan and 6% in Queens, and sports bar foot traffic was up 16%.
International demand from World Cup host cities grew 9.4% in June alone. The short-term rental market, in particular, also saw benefits, with total short-term demand across all World Cup host markets amounting to $1.33 billion throughout the tournament.
The authorities in New York City, meanwhile, arranged free watch parties and various other events open to the public for the same reason, and the final economic impact was even higher than the initial forecast of $3.3bn.
