Mexico 2026 World Cup: A Unique Event and Economic Boost

This edition is special for at least three reasons: (1) it will be the competition with the most participating countries, 48, and 104 matches, (2) it will be the first time the organization will be shared by three countries, and, most importantly, for us as Mexicans, (3) it will be the first time a country, Mexico, will host this sporting event for a third time. For 2026, including Canada, only 19 of the 211 FIFA member federations will have had the honor of hosting this event. The above invites us to consider aspects beyond the sporting and social ones, which are not minor, but to reflect on some points that will impact our country's economy. For Mexico, its main trading partner is the United States, with over 80% of its exports. We hope that as Mexicans, we know how to capitalize on this opportunity and put Mexico on the map. In international comparison, the internal trade of North America represents 1.6 trillion dollars, surpassing that of the European Union with 0.8 trillion dollars and that of East Asia with 0.6 trillion dollars. A few weeks ago, I heard from Mikel Arriola, President of the Mexican Football Federation and Vice President of the FIFA Male Competitions Committee, about other relevant elements of the World Cup for Mexico. Although this will only be for 2026, the effect is still very positive as the investments made will remain for the benefit of the country and its inhabitants for the coming years, in addition to the positioning that Mexico will once again receive in terms of tourism, which will also be seen in the years to come. Surely not everything will be honey and there will not be a lack of criticism before, during, and after the event. Although Brazil, Germany, and now the United States will be the other three countries that have hosted two World Cups, in those countries, the opening match was in different venues. According to a case documented by the Harvard Business School, it is estimated that the World Cup will be broadcast on more than 350 channels or platforms worldwide. He estimated that the investments associated with the World Cup will sum up to almost 8.5 billion dollars in CDMX, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, the three host cities in Mexico, including public transport, airports, stadiums, and urban projects. As stated by the FEMEXFUT executive, the passion for football in Mexico reaches 63.5% of the population, with an increase of 5.5 points compared to 2022 and 8.2 points compared to 2020. He mentioned that FIFA projects global revenues of 11 billion dollars for the 2023–2026 cycle, almost double that of Brazil 2014 (5.7 billion), 80% more than Russia 2018 (6.4 billion), and more than 70% above Qatar 2022 (7.6 billion). We are two months away from the start of the World Cup. It is estimated that for the 2026 World Cup, it will reach 6 billion viewers. Although the modality of more than one country hosting the World Cup is not new (it already happened in 2002 when Korea and Japan co-hosted), it is worth remembering that the three countries selected for this edition form a block of more than 500 million inhabitants, and, according to the World Bank, their combined GDP is 33 trillion dollars, equivalent to approximately 30% of the world's wealth. However, it is a year in which a national unity is felt and the always hoped-for possibility that our team will have a dignified and historic performance. However, what will be unique and difficult to surpass for many more years is that the Azteca Stadium will witness a historic moment as it will be the only stadium in the world to host an opening match of the World Cup three times (1970, 1986, and 2026). And for the United States, Mexico is its main trading partner, followed by Canada. In the United States, there are 59 million fans (17% of the population), and only the Hispanic market represents the fifth largest GDP in the world, with a 17% growth in digital consumption and an average age of 28 years, ten less than the American average. During June and July of this year, we can receive 5.5 million additional visitors, a figure equivalent to the total international tourists received in Mexico between January and July 2024. On the other hand, the Inside FIFA portal reports that 5 billion people watched the Qatar 2022 World Cup, with 1.5 billion viewers for the final match. The projected economic impact exceeds 3 billion dollars, 235% more than a Formula 1 weekend, plus 1 billion dollars in potential tourism and 200 million dollars in direct investment in stadiums. The event will generate around 24,000 jobs. In this, we have not always had the best results, but in what we do have is the opportunity to be worthy hosts of an event where the eyes of the world will be on our country. It will have a direct impact on tourism, commerce, and families in general. In a study prepared by KPMG, it is projected that, thanks to the World Cup, the country's GDP will grow between 0.42 and 0.62 percentage points. For Canada, its northern neighbor is also its main partner with over 60% of its exports.