Overview
- Government arrival data for June show overall international entries to the U.S. were essentially flat, which undercuts the large foreign-fan influx that FIFA’s $30.5 billion estimate assumed.
- Bank of America card data show in-person spending in the 11 U.S. host cities rose about 5.4% with non-local customer spending jumping roughly 17.4%, concentrating gains in restaurants, bars and tourist retail.
- Hotel data from CoStar indicate hosts raised room rates without clear increases in occupancy or room demand, meaning higher prices did not translate into more nights sold.
- Analysts note major measurement gaps because card panels mainly capture U.S.-issued cards and miss foreign-issued card use and cash payments, so headline totals remain uncertain and likely lower after accounting for host-city costs and tax waivers.
- The pattern matches historical caution about mega-events: benefits are uneven across cities and sectors and local taxpayers often bear infrastructure and security costs that shrink net public returns.