Big Wins After the world Cup
Images provided by Johannes Hübner @johanneshuebner
The person shoots and scores! GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL! Did you notice what happens when a player scored a goal in the World Cup? Besides the crowd screaming wildly and hands waving vigorously in the air. Teammates rush to celebrate it with that person. It isn’t a matter of who scored the goal, the team who scored only cares that it went over the line; pass the goalkeeper, and into the back of the net. If you take another look, did you see the vendors get excited? People working the event smile or do a fist pump. All of it happens nearly simultaneously. If you’re fortunate enough to be in the stands of the event, you’ll experience it all in person. Even if you’re watching or listening to it somewhere, the experience will be unforgettable. People from all over the globe watched or tuned into the game. The surrounding members of the local community will keep this memory with them forever. It is not only the goal, but countless interactions with fans and people. Tourists and fans alike who will also hold on to the memory of watching the game and goals.
During this historic World Cup, we saw a record 308 goals being scored over 104 matches (being held across 3 countries and 16 cities.) A total of 6.8 million fans attended the games, which averaged about 65,000 fans per game. Globally, an average of 120 million people tuned in to watch the tournament per game. The average viewership in the United States across the total matches was 14 million. In terms of digital content, 20 billion video views was generated during the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup demonstrated cooperation between players, countries, government officials, cities, and communities. It is a reminder of the freedom and choices we all have to influence each other in a positive way in order to accomplish feats greater than us. We hope to leverage all the great memories accumulated over the course of the World Cup to continue fueling our passion to make a difference.
Below are some thoughts shared by people within the industry.
"This tournament let New Jersey see itself, in all its diversity, on the world stage. But the number that sticks with me most is not a stat, it's the neighborhoods, the host cities, the communities that opened up for a month and will be telling these stories for years. Getting to work alongside that, on the New Jersey side of this tournament, is something I won't forget." - Jameel Muhammad, New Jersey Communications Professional
“As someone who has spent significant time of my career at the intersection of sports, business, and community, I believe the World Cup permanently elevated Kansas City’s global reputation. Beyond the measurable economic impact, it demonstrated how authentic hospitality, cultural diversity, and strategic collaboration can transform a sporting event into an economic and civic catalyst.
The challenge now is to build on this momentum so the world continues to see Kansas City as a destination for innovation, investment, and unforgettable experiences.” -CiCi Rojas, Partner and President of Tico Productions
“The 2026 FIFA World Cup reminded us that sport remains one of the few global languages that transcends borders, politics, and cultural differences. At its core, football celebrates values that resonate far beyond the field: discipline, teamwork, resilience, excellence, and the belief that achievement is earned through effort and merit. For host communities, the tournament was not only an economic and tourism opportunity, but also a chance to participate in a shared human experience that inspired connection, pride, and a renewed sense of possibility.”
“Beyond the excitement on the field, the tournament demonstrated the power of sports as a catalyst for tourism. According to the U.S. Travel Association, international World Cup visitors spent more than $5,000 per trip—1.7 times more than the average international traveler to the United States. One in three visitors extended their stay beyond two weeks, while more than 80% expressed interest in exploring destinations outside the host cities. These findings underscore that the World Cup's legacy extends far beyond stadiums, creating opportunities for communities, businesses, and destinations to benefit long after the final whistle.” - Maria Jose Abuabara, Growth Strategist