Can football fever lift the economy?

The World Cup has kicked off across North America in its largest and most geographically dispersed format yet. This year, the tournament expands to 48 teams (up from 32 in 2022), 104 matches (vs. 64) and 16 host cities across the US, Canada and Mexico. The scale is set to drive a surge of visitors, viewership and national pride, but the economic payoff may be short-lived.​

​In this episode of Barclays Brief, Ronnie Wexler, Global Head of Equities Distribution, sits down with Pooja Sriram, Senior US Economist, to discuss the tournament’s economic implications for host countries, how viewership could translate into value, which sectors stand to benefit most and why demand looks uneven. ​

​Listeners can hear more related to this topic:​​​

• Prediction markets: a new market signal ​
• Jet fuel shortage: Holidays at risk? ​

Clients can read more on Barclays Live:​​

• World Cup 2026: Viewership drives value ​
• Cupflation: The World Cup effect on prices ​
• ¡Goool! World Cup Day 1​

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​Important Non-Research Content Disclosures​

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