FIFA World Cup Delivered $2B Boost To NYC Economy

NEW YORK CITY — The 2026 FIFA World Cup generated an estimated $2 billion in economic impact for New York City this summer, the mayor's office announced on Wednesday.

The tournament supported an estimated 12,100 jobs across hospitality, food service, retail and other industries. Foot traffic at New York City sports bars also increased 16% year over year during the tournament.

In addition, the tournament generated $1.2 billion in direct visitor spending and $162 million in operational spending.

Across the New York-New Jersey region, the World Cup generated an estimated $3.5 billion in total economic impact, exceeding the NY/NJ Host Committee’s pre-tournament projection of $3.3 billion.

New York City accounted for 56% of the regional impact and 70% of visitor spending.

The economic benefits extended across the five boroughs. International Visa card spending increased 12% year over year in Manhattan, 19% in Brooklyn and 6% in Queens during the tournament, while hotel occupancy rose 6% in the combined Bronx and Staten Island hotel markets.

“This summer, we proved that the people’s game can still belong to the people — to the deli owners, cab drivers and line cooks who welcomed visitors from around the globe to New York City and powered the World Cup,” Mamdani said.

“We didn’t want the benefits of this tournament to stop at the stadium gates. We worked to bring fans into our neighborhoods, onto our blocks and into our local bars, restaurants and watch parties. And the result was more than $2 billion flowing through our city’s economy — a win for working New Yorkers across all five boroughs.”