Mexico City is projected to be the World Cup host city with the highest earnings in Mexico
Mexico City, the site of the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening match, will benefit most from the sporting event.
According to independent financial strategy specialist Jorge Arturo Anglard Martínez Cervantes, «ignoring leakage and applying the multiplier to the total figure would yield 3.2 billion. A politically more appealing number that overestimates the actual benefit to the Mexican economy.»
During the IMEF 2026 presentation titled More Than Soccer: The 2026 World Cup and North American Integration. The researcher stated, «Mexico City will host around 400,000 visitors, generating a total economic impact of nearly 1.6 billion dollars.»
The most popular sport in Mexico, soccer, was the subject of IMEF’s yearly study because it provides an effective framework for examining significant economic, financial, and social issues.
He said, «Guadalajara would see 250,000 visitors and an economic impact of nearly one billion dollars. While Monterrey would host 150,000 visitors and generate a benefit of 600 million dollars. In terms of the state GDP for the services sector, that equates to approximately 0.45 percent for Mexico City, 0.35 percent for Jalisco, and 0.30 percent for Nuevo León.»
According to the expert, the World Cup’s value added would account for between 0.11 and 0.14 percent of the country’s GDP.The most popular sport in Mexico, soccer, was the subject of IMEF’s yearly study because it provides an effective framework for examining significant economic, financial, and social issues.
It was noted that the economic contribution of the World Cup does not represent a structural transformation. Yet it is not trivial either, as it is equivalent to an additional year of growth in the affected sectors.
United States every game from quarters to final
“One of the key factors was the promise to host the most lucrative World Cup in history, with the potential to generate $13 billion in revenue and an $11 billion profit for FIFA,” said José Domingo Figueroa Palacios, chair of the IMEF 2026 committee.
From the quarter-finals onwards, matches would be played exclusively on U.S. soil. With the final taking place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which has a capacity of approximately 85,000 spectators.
A total of 78 matches would be played in the United States (including every game from the quarter-finals through to the grand final); 13 in Canada (10 group-stage matches, two Round of 32 games, and one Round of 16 game); and 13 in Mexico (10 group-stage matches, two Round of 32 games, and one Round of 16 game).
Gabriela Gutiérrez Mora, president of the IMEF, stated that soccer is the most popular sport in Mexico. With six out of ten Mexicans—approximately 56 to 64 million people—considering themselves fans. Furthermore, the business leader highlighted that more than 8.4 million people in the country actively play the sport, whether at an amateur or professional level.
