The Beautiful Game: BofA’s World Cup 2026 Guide

As the Official Bank Sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026™, BofA’s World Cup 2026 Guide, published by BofA Global Research, explores what the tournament means for the global economy, digital infrastructure and data use. With 104 matches played in 16 cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico, it’s the largest sporting event ever staged. More than six million people were expected to attend the tournament. The 48 teams competing represent 27% of the world’s total population and 62% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP).

BofA Global Research provides top-quality economic and investment insights, as well as industry and company overviews to clients and employees of Bank of America. The guide was written by our Global Research Thematic Investing team led by Haim Israel, in partnership with our Chief Investment Strategist Michael Hartnett.

Sport as an economic superpower

Football (soccer) is the world’s most popular sport, with 250 to 270 million players worldwide. A recent joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates the 2026 tournament could add about $41 billion to global GDP and support more than 800,000 jobs. For the U.S. alone, the tournament could generate $6.4 billion in tourist spending, $30.5 billion in economic output, $17.2 billion in GDP and approximately 185,000 jobs.

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