Mexico is projected to see a higher increase in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the 2026 World Cup compared to its North American trading partners, the United States and Canada. According to projections from Moody’s Analytics, the tournament will contribute 0.13 percentage points to the growth of the Mexican economy.
This figure is double the impact expected for Canada, which is projected at just 0.07%, and exceeds the anticipated effect for the United States, estimated at 0.05%. The analysis suggests that the sheer scale of the North American economies dilutes the event's impact, even though the majority of matches will be played on American soil.
The impact of tourism spending
Moody’s Analytics has adjusted its growth forecast for Mexico in 2026, raising it from 1.4% to 1.5%. This upward revision is partly due to the economic momentum the World Cup is expected to generate within specific sectors of the national economy.
Unlike its neighbors, Mexico's economic structure allows visitor spending to have a more visible effect. Tourist consumption and domestic spending are expected to directly impact the services, hospitality, and entertainment sectors.
Infrastructure for the tournament is not expected to place a burden on the Mexican public treasury. The necessary stadium upgrades were almost entirely funded through private capital, avoiding pressure on state finances.
The economic benefit will not stem from large-scale construction projects, but rather from the cash flow generated by ticket sales and tourism. In the United States, football stadiums will only require minor adjustments to host the matches.
On a regional level, the aggregate impact for North America is estimated at 0.056 percentage points of GDP. While the tournament is not expected to alter the region's structural economic trajectory, Mexico is positioned as the country that will gain the most relative benefit from the event.
