Football is the 'beautiful game' and it is so not only for its style but also for the numbers surrounding it. The FIFA World Cup 2026, currently underway, is expected to be the most watched, followed, and visited in history. It is considered the biggest sports event in the world, surpassing the Olympics, the Super Bowl, or the cricket World Cup.
Its fans support it massively, with around 5 billion football fans worldwide, doubling the numbers of the second most popular sport, cricket. This means that roughly 6 out of 10 people on the planet declare themselves football fans. This explains the interest of Arab fortunes and private equity funds in owning major European leagues, including the Spanish league, or becoming shareholders in clubs to be part of a business where ticket sales are becoming less important compared to commercial agreements or stadium usage.
During the World Cup, 104 matches will be played, mostly in the United States (78) compared to 13 in Canada and Mexico. Everything is bigger than the 2022 Qatar World Cup, with more teams and stadiums capable of hosting 7.2 million fans, compared to 3.4 million four years ago. These are astronomical figures. It is estimated that the 48 participating countries represent 27% of the world's population and 62% of the global economy.
Preliminary studies by FIFA suggest that the 2026 World Cup will have an impact of about $41 billion on the global economy and will create 800,000 jobs, with 2 out of 10 in the US. The event will benefit various sectors such as airlines, beverages, sportswear, restaurants, cable or satellite channels, social media, and online sports betting.
The 2026 World Cup will be the most followed sports event on social media, posing a challenge in terms of data consumption. It is estimated that 7% of global internet traffic will be consumed by football viewers. The tournament alone will consume 90 petabytes, 45 times more than the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The World Cup has an impact on salaries, especially in the service sector, boosts retail sales, and affects inflation. Hotel prices in the US are expected to rise by 1% in June due to the World Cup, with significant increases in cities hosting matches.
According to Bank of America, the global sports industry generated $2.3 trillion in revenue last year, making it the tenth largest economy in the world. The industry is forecasted to exceed $3.7 trillion by 2030.
The business of football generated ¤620 million in revenue among major European leagues in 2025, with less than 20% coming from matchday sales, a significant portion from TV rights, and the rest from commercial deals.
Analysts predict Spain to win the World Cup statistically, with Goldman Sachs forecasting a victory. The tournament is also expected to have a financial impact, with the winning team receiving a trophy valued at over 0.74 million euros due to the rise in gold prices.