World Cup Didn’t Boost International Visitors In June—Here’s Why It Matters
www.forbes.com
The World Cup is delivering a big revenue boost for FIFA but not so much for the United States economy—as international tourists have not turned up in promised numbers.
  • While the World Cup group stage (June 11-27) was taking place, overall international arrivals to the U.S. in June were essentially flat (+0.2%) compared to a year ago, according to data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) in the Commerce Department.
  • Arrivals in June were down year over year from Europe (-1.2%) and Asia (-5.6%), two regions that consistently dominate overseas arrivals, while arrivals were up from lower-volume regions: Africa (+13.8%) and South America (+4.7%), according to NTTO data.
  • Hotels in World Cup host cities raised room rates, but did not see an increase in occupancy or room demand, according to CoStar, the industry benchmarking and analytics firm.
  • A FIFA analysis predicted the World Cup would inject $30.5 billion into the U.S. economy—but its calculation counted on a huge influx of international fans, who spend much more per person than U.S.-based fans.
  • FIFA is set to take in $9 billion in revenue, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Intelligence.
  • Hegar@fedia.io
    43·
    12 days ago

    Big events like that are not about profit though. They’re really about buying prestige, which remains more valuable than profit.

    Just that in our culture profit is like the only acceptable justification for doing a thing though so it’s hard for people to talk about a thing being worthwhile if it doesn’t make money.

    • tal@lemmy.todayEnglish
      5·
      12 days ago

      Big events like that are not about profit though. They’re really about buying prestige, which remains more valuable than profit.

      Ehh.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Correctional_Institution,_Ray_Brook

      The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee needed congressional approval for funding to build an Olympic Village for the 1980 Winter Olympics. Congress required an after-use contract for facilities, and Lake Placid’s congressman Robert C. McEwen considered the possibilities of having it be repurposed as housing, a hospital, or a permanent athletic facility, but these plans all failed to materialize. As McEwen searched for possibilities, he learned that Norman Carlson of the Federal Bureau of Prisons has congressional approval to build a prison in the Northeastern United States. It was ultimately agreed to create the Village with the goal of repurposing it as a prison.[1][2]

      At the time of construction, the Olympic Village had 937 small cells, each holding between 2 and 4 athletes. The majority of rooms had one barred window, although some had no windows at all, and they had heavy steel doors with peepholes for use by guards after conversion to a functional prison. The Village was surrounded by concentric chain fences. The fences were sensitized and sounded alarms if touched. The only entrance to the village was a surveilled double gate. The village saw widespread condemnation from International Olympic Committees, and multiple countries sought to rent housing in other locations. While National Olympic Committees typically need to pay on their own if they choose to find new accommodation, IOC Director Monique Berlioux said, “This time the accommodations are so poor that delegations will not have to pay for them if they move somewhere else.”[3]

      The delegations of Sweden, Italy, Austria, East Germany, West Germany, and other countries sought alternative accommodations. This created an unexpected boom in the local real estate market, increasing rent in some areas from US$200 (equivalent to $781.5 in 2025) to US$4,000 (equivalent to $15,630 in 2025).

    • Lydon_Feen@lemmy.world
      4·
      12 days ago

      Fuck prestige.

      If it doesn’t turn a profit or at least breaks even, it’s pointless and literally a way for FIFA, UEFA, or the IOC to make a killing.

      Everybody else gets fucked and left with the bill

      • Hegar@fedia.io
        2·
        12 days ago

        Oh of course. But “Everybody else gets fucked and left with the bill” is the case with everything a nation-state does. Thats like the whole point.