The FIFA World Cup is coming to North America this month, and it’s going to be expensive.

The soccer tournament is held once every four years, with soccer players from around the world playing in a different host country. This year, the FIFA World Cup has chosen three countries—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—to co-host teams from 48 countries. Games in the United States will be played in 11 host cities, with the final played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

But major events like the World Cup cost money to attend—and big money in most cases. Tickets, hotel rooms, transportation, food, and more are going to add up quickly for World Cup attendees, and that cost can vary by quite a bit depending on which city you see a game in.

A study by NBC News found that one World Cup ticket and one hotel room for two nights would cost around $614 in Miami on the low end up to a whopping $2,052 in New York City on the high end. But World Cup costs won’t just be paid by the fans actually attending the games. Plenty of companies across the country could lose cash because of the festivities.

The World Cup Will Cost Companies Money

A survey by Finance Buzz found that, particularly because the games are being played in North America, many Americans will prioritize the World Cup over working. That also means companies will be losing income because of the distraction.

In fact, one in four adults surveyed said they planned to watch World Cup matches at work. But all that distraction from watching soccer matches means workers aren’t as productive. So how much would that cost? Try an estimated $4.5 billion in lost productivity, based on Finance Buzz estimates, making the World Cup a costly event even for people not actually going to the games.

Breaking Down the Data

At least 50% of those surveyed said they planned to watch at least some of the World Cup during the tournament in North America, running from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

Of those surveyed, 25%, or one in four workers, said they planned to watch some of the action while on the clock. Based on current data for the number of working Americans, that could mean a whopping 40 million U.S. workers are tuning in to see a World Cup match.

Some workers are taking it even more seriously than just some casual viewing at the office, with around 8% saying they will likely be taking time off work to watch the World Cup, according to the Finance Buzz survey.

Watching while working could be easier during this tournament for Americans than in past years due to several factors.

Matches in North America mean game play will be during the day as opposed to watching early in the morning or late at night depending on the time difference between North America and the host country or countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic could also play a factor, due to the increased popularity in remote work during lockdown that is still reflected in today’s workforce. More workers at home makes it easier for fans to work remotely in front of their televisions and second screens to watch games during work hours.

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