NY-NJ Nets $3.5B Economic Boost From World Cup 2026, Creating Thousands of Jobs
The FIFA World Cup 2026 boosted the NY-NJ region with a $3.5 billion total economic impact, surpassing $3.3 billion projections. Direct spending reached $1.9B, with $1.4B in labor income and $414.2M in state/local tax revenues, and about 27,424 jobs were created. Spending by category included $653M on lodging, $346M on food/beverage, $264M on retail, $200M on transportation, and $195M on recreation/entertainment. Eight matches were at MetLife Stadium, including the final where Spain beat Argentina. The event was co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico—the first U.S. World Cup since 1994. Mayor Zohran Mamdani highlighted benefits to workers and small businesses across the region.