The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the largest in history, presents significant challenges for fans, teams, and host cities, raising questions about the future of the tournament's scale.
This year's FIFA World Cup is set to challenge the common belief that larger events are inherently better. The 2026 tournament is unprecedented in scale, featuring the most host countries, the longest distances between stadiums, the highest number of players, teams, and matches, along with exceedingly high ticket prices.
Taking place in three countries—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—this World Cup will see 48 teams compete across 16 cities, all separated by thousands of miles and spanning four different time zones.
Experts suggest that FIFA's decision to expand the tournament is aimed at solidifying soccer's dominance amidst growing competition from other sports. The trend indicates that only wealthy or large nations will be able to host future tournaments independently.
The ticket prices for this year's matches have sparked widespread concern, with FIFA being criticized for making attendance unaffordable for many fans. The organization has implemented steep rates for nearly all but the least desirable seating options.
Hotel prices in host cities across Canada, the US, and Mexico are also reportedly rising. Christos Anagnostopoulos, an assistant professor in sports management at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, notes that the average cost for attendees in US cities is exceeding $5,000 each, not including travel expenses between venues. In contrast, visitors to Qatar in 2022 spent between $720 and $2,500 on average.
Unlike the previous tournaments in Qatar and Russia, which offered free public transportation, this year's event requires fans and teams to rely on flights due to the vast distances involved. Airlines have begun adding routes to accommodate World Cup travelers. Anagnostopoulos remarks that teams and fans must now consider the costs and environmental impact of flying rather than utilizing local trains or taxis.
This shift in transportation has led to a decrease in hotel bookings, as the high travel costs deter potential attendees. Anagnostopoulos indicates that US hotels are already experiencing lower than expected reservations, suggesting that a larger scale does not guarantee high attendance.
The security measures required for this extensive tournament necessitate significant investment from both organizers and host cities. The US federal government has allocated $625 million in grants to address security concerns. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security has made over $200 million available for states to acquire anti-drone technology, citing the increasing accessibility of such technology to hostile entities.
In Canada, federal authorities have provided approximately $104 million in grants to the host cities of Vancouver and Toronto, bringing the total public funding in Canada and the US to nearly $1 billion, although this may only represent a fraction of the actual security costs involved.
The sheer size of the tournament presents unique challenges, especially as it spans multiple jurisdictions and agencies. Leo Levit, chair of Onvif, emphasizes that the complexity of coordinating different security systems across various locations is a significant concern.
Looking ahead, the 2026 World Cup reflects a growing strain on the tournament's ambition. It remains uncertain if the investments made will result in sufficient ticket sales and advertising revenue. FIFA's drive for expansion appears to be motivated by the need to maintain football's relevance in the face of competition from other sports, such as the NBA and NFL, which are expanding their global reach.
To accommodate the additional teams, FIFA anticipates a rise in viewership and ticket sales, projecting 6 billion engagements across television, streaming, and digital platforms this year, compared to 5 billion in the previous tournament. The in-person attendance is expected to exceed 5 million, up from 3.4 million in Qatar.
However, as FIFA seeks to preserve soccer's global prominence, it becomes increasingly clear that only a select few economies will be able to independently host the tournament in the future. Anagnostopoulos warns that the World Cup has outgrown traditional football nations like France, Germany, Russia, or England, stating that the future of hosting will likely rely on either extremely wealthy nations—such as China or Saudi Arabia—or collaborative efforts across borders.
He concludes that the era of a single traditional football nation hosting the tournament alone is likely coming to an end.
