Nashville Could Get $695M Boost As World Cup Host

Host cities for the 2026 World Cup have yet to be announced, but a recent report showed that Nashville’s economic impact could reach $695 million.

FIFA visited Nashville, one of 17 U.S. cities in the running, in September during a nationwide tour assessing each bidding city’s facilities. Eleven U.S. cities will likely be chosen, with 16 total throughout North America.

The report, compiled by William F. Fox, the director of the Boyd Center for Business & Economic Research at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, broke down the financial logistics of hosting.

• By hosting four matches in 2026, visitors would bring in $639.3 million in impact, generating $205.6 million in income.
• Nashville would also see around $66.1 million in state and local tax revenue, plus 5,469 annualized jobs.

Qatar, which hosts the 2022 World Cup in November, expects a $20 billion economic boost from the event.

Cities’ Speculations

Nashville isn’t the only city estimating the effect hosting the tournament could have. The Boston Consulting Group said that the projected revenue from five matches is roughly $360 million. 

In exchange, Denver estimates it’d cost the city $45 million to host, but that money would reportedly come from private investments, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, and funding from FIFA and the federal government. 

FIFA said the cities will be announced in the first half of the year.