World Cup 2026 could deliver nearly $1 billion economic jackpot to California
The world’s biggest sporting event is coming to Los Angeles, but the real impact will not be felt on the pitch. It will happen in hotel lobbies, packed restaurants, crowded airport terminals and concession stands at SoFi Stadium (if a strike is averted). According to a new analysis from Bookies.com, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is projected to generate an eye-popping $594 million in economic impact for the Los Angeles region. The city alone is expected to welcome nearly 180,000 visitors during the World Cup from June 11 through July 19.Those visitors are projected to spend close to $60 million on food, transportation, entertainment and accommodations.
Local hotel revenue alone is expected to surge by 22%. With eight World Cup matches scheduled for SoFi Stadium in Inglewood — including the United States Men’s National Team’s opening match against Paraguay on Friday — Los Angeles will not only serve as one of the tournament’s biggest stages but it will also be one of the biggest financial winners of the tournament’s 16 host cities. Los Angeles is projected to have the second-most visitors of the tournament, behind only New York City/New Jersey, which is also hosting eight matches, including the World Cup Final on July 19. Helping that economic impact is the nearly $15 million SoFi Stadium is expected to generate in beer sales (barring a strike) alone across their eight matches.That’s enough beer to fill 1.2 million Starbucks Venti cups.Unlike most sporting events that arrive for a just a weekend or a single game, the World Cup brings with it a six-week-long economic wave that washes across an entire metropolitan region.“This is exactly the type of event cities spend decades trying to attract,” said Daniel McIntosh, faculty director of the Sports Business Program at Arizona State University. McIntosh helped with the analysis for Bookies.com and noted that cities with strong tourism infrastructure, international appeal and multiple matches would ...