The first FIFA World Cup 26™ matches are just six months away and, with Boston being one of the host cities, New England’s tourism economy is anticipating a sizable boost in revenue and global attention.
“Gross activity will be very large — on the order of $1 billion regionally, with sizable cross-border spillovers into Rhode Island and the broader New England tourism economy,” says Bryant Economics Lecturer Liam Rice.
With Boston 25 News reporting that two to three million visitors are likely to be drawn to the New England region during the month-long tournament period, and Rhode Island officials separately estimating approximately $331 million in visitor spending in the Ocean State, according to NBC 10 News, the international event lends itself to some strategic marketing opportunities.
“The scale of the event creates a rare environment in which global brands, regional organizations, and local businesses can all benefit from the movement of fans, teams, and media,” says Associate Professor of Marketing Eun Kang, Ph.D.
Below, Rice and Kang discuss New England’s potential short-term and long-term economic gains from the World Cup and how destinations and businesses can leverage their marketing to take advantage of this unique opportunity.
Temporary tourism, labor shock
While gross activity could hover around $1 billion, net gains, after costs and displacement, are likely to be positive but significantly smaller than headline impact figures suggest, notes Rice. He shares that economic gains from the World Cup’s tourism-driven shock are going to be highly concentrated in specific sectors, and hospitality will see the most direct gains with individuals filling hotels, short-term rentals, and related accommodation services in Greater Boston, Providence, and satellite communities. Nearby training bases are also likely to create mid-week demand outside match days; Bryant is included in the base camp brochure, from which teams will choose their practice home bases in the coming weeks.
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Professional services, including security, event management, marketing, legal, accounting, and IT support services tied to the tournament and sponsors could experience a spike in project-based work, says Rice, who notes that the World Cup is a great example of a large, anticipated, temporary labor demand shock.
“Ex ante estimates from the Boston host committee anticipate on the order of 5,000 to 9,000 jobs associated with the event in Massachusetts; however, ex ante projections are often bigger than ex post analysis,” he says, suggesting that college students would be great resources for filling these temporary summer roles.
Rice adds that the labor market could also see job reallocation rather than creation. For instance, workers may be shifted from other activities or sectors into event-related work, and in tight labor markets like hospitality and food service employers may respond through higher wages and overtime than through large net increases in headcount.
Capitalizing opportunities for businesses
According to Kang, food and beverage companies could benefit from their proximity to the tournament by offering themed menus, special promotions, and watch party events that appeal to both residents and international visitors.
“Official sponsors and non-sponsors can engage World Cup audiences effectively by understanding the cultural diversity of soccer fans and the global nature of the event,” she says. “Even without official rights, companies can create atmosphere and connection through soccer themed promotions, welcoming fan experiences, and events that celebrate both the tournament and local identity. Fan happy hours, viewing parties, themed fan zones, and pop-up shops in high traffic areas can deepen visitors’ emotional connection to the brand and the destination.”
Digital engagement could also be a powerful tool, says Kang, emphasizing that marketers lean into local relevance, and that places with immersive experiences encourage visitors to share their experiences online, which expands brand reach beyond the physical environment.
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“Many companies use social media content that aligns with match moments, national team stories, or cultural celebrations while avoiding protected FIFA trademarks,” she notes. “These approaches allow businesses of all sizes to join the excitement and create meaningful touchpoints with international visitors.”
The strongest results, however, come from a multi-channel approach that reaches fans throughout their entire tournament journey.
“The World Cup brings travelers through airports, hotels, transportation hubs, restaurants, and fan zones, so brands gain the most value when they maintain a consistent presence across these touchpoints,” says Kang.
What long-term impacts could look like
Increased visibility on the world stage could be one of the biggest long-term impacts of the World Cup for areas most closely associated with the tournament, says Kang. Additionally, companies can gain long term value by treating the World Cup as an opportunity to build lasting relationships rather than treating it as a one-off event, Kang says.
“Loyalty programs can connect event-specific rewards, including early access or gamified challenges, to ongoing membership levels so that fan engagement continues after the tournament,” she says. “Brands can also collect first-party data during the event through digital sign-ups and interactive experiences, which allows them to strengthen their consumer databases.”
Rice suggests that some long-term benefits will be indirect and not show up in a one-year GDP calculation.
“Extensive international media coverage can change global perceptions of a region, boosting future tourism and business travel. Evidence suggests these effects are real but modest and contingent on follow-up marketing and service quality,” Rice says. “These traditionally matter more for nations or regions that are less internationally known.”
For New England, the highest returns are likely to come from upgrades desirable by residents even absent the World Cup: more reliable regional rail between Boston, Foxborough, and Providence; better multimodal connections at key hubs; and digital infrastructure that enhances business productivity.
“If public and private stakeholders discipline themselves to prioritize those general-purpose investments, the long-run payoff can be substantial,” Rice says.
From a sports industry and human capital development perspective, hosting in 2026 could reinforce New England’s position within this broader North American soccer economy — affecting everything from academies and training facilities to sports analytics and media.
“The 1994 World Cup in the United States is widely credited with catalyzing the growth of Major League Soccer and associated youth and professional soccer ecosystems, with long-run commercial value,” Rice recalls.
An exciting time
As the countdown to June begins, Rice has important advice for New England.
“Treat the World Cup as a large but temporary demand shock that should be used to justify high-return, general-purpose investments and relationships you would want anyway — not as a stand-alone windfall,” he says.
Kang adds that several World Cup adjacent marketing campaigns are already underway and can serve as a template for local companies and destinations. The Boston 26 committee is working to line up $100 million in sponsor funds (the process is going slowly, The Boston Globe recently reported) and has designed a “Sonic ID” for the tournament in collaboration with the Berklee School of Music, while Rhode Island formed a nonprofit called Ocean State 2026 to attract sponsorships and organize events; the state also is marketing the “RI Summer of Soccer” centered around the June 13 to July 9, 2026, tournament.
Elsewhere, Kansas City has launched a design competition and has unveiled its official World Cup poster titled “Woven Together,” which shows how host cities are incorporating local culture into global branding, she notes, while Coca-Cola has launched fan engagement programs such as “Group Guess,” a tournament team grouping prediction challenge that offers the chance to win match tickets.
“These early steps suggest that momentum is building and that a much broader wave of marketing activity will emerge as the event approaches, both locally and globally,” she says.
For destinations, being part of the World Cup can persist as an element of regional identity, legacy, and history long after the matches conclude.
“This can support tourism storytelling and attraction campaigns well into the future,” Kang says. “Consistent social media activity after the event also helps maintain momentum as brands transition from World Cup specific content back to broader narratives that highlight their products, values, or community involvement.”