The 2026 FIFA World Cup could contribute as much as $40.9 billion to global GDP, according to market commentary released by trading and investment platform eToro as the expanded 48-team tournament gets under way across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The analysis, authored by Josh Gilbert, eToro’s lead analyst for the Middle East, examines how the largest World Cup in history could ripple through the global economy over the coming weeks, identifying tourism, consumer spending and investment as the main channels for the boost.
The headline figure aligns with projections from FIFA, which has estimated the tournament will add $40.9 billion to the world economy, with host nations the United States, Canada and Mexico expected to capture roughly $30.5 billion of that total.
The commentary also highlights a milestone for the region: an unprecedented eight Arab nations are taking part in this edition, the largest contingent in the tournament’s history.
That presence, the analysis argues, underscores the growing role of sport as an economic asset across the Middle East and North Africa, where governments have been channelling investment into sporting events, infrastructure and clubs as part of wider economic diversification efforts.
Independent economists have often cautioned that headline projections for mega-events can overstate their lasting impact. Still, the 2026 edition’s scale is without precedent — 48 teams and 104 matches spread across 16 host cities — giving it a wider economic footprint than any previous World Cup.
The tournament kicks off on Thursday and runs through the final on July 19. eToro says readers can request further commentary or interviews with its regional analysts throughout the competition.
