Report: Sponsor Economic Impact Of ’26 World Cup U.S.,Canada Host Cities: $4.5B
Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 04:30PM By Barry Janoff
October 17, 2025: The FIFA Men’s World Cup is big business.
The sponsorship economic impact of the FIFA 2026 Men’s World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico makes the word “big” look small.
The 2026 World Cup will create a $4.5 billion sponsorship economy for the 13 cities in the U.S. and Canada set to host matches
Nearly 40% of the top spending sponsors across the 13 host cities will allocate at least 75% of their sponsorship budget to that respective market, “reflecting a pronounced home-market focus,” according to “The Sports Sponsorship Economy of the U.S. & Canada Host Cities,” a new report from global marketing and consulting firm SponsorUnited.
Mexico’s three host cities were not included in the study.
“Collectively, these 13 host cities have generated $4.5 billion in sponsorship spend, representing nearly half of the North American sports sponsorship economy,” via SponsorUnited.
Los Angeles leads with six of these hyper-local investors, followed by Atlanta, Kansas City and Miami (five each).
(See a full list of host cites here.)
Needless to say, the potential audience will be enormous.
According to a recent report from global sports marketing agency SportFive, “Soccer Fandom in the U.S.,” 130 million people in the United States identify as soccer fans, “but they are unlike any other demographic in the sporting world.”
The study breaks down for World Cup sponsors and other brands the landscape of soccer consumers in the U.S., with 18% of U.S. soccer fans considered the “ultimate soccer fan who devours content from numerous global leagues, watching matches at any time of day.”
With such events as the World Cup, some 10% of U.S. soccer fans engage with soccer during major events such as the FIFA World Cup, “making them crucial targets during tentpole campaigns and big moments. Despite not keeping tabs on the sport on a year-round basis, these fans love being a part of watch parties, branded fan zones, and retail promotions.”
"U.S. soccer fans may come from different heritages and traditions, but what unites them is an intense, growing passion for the sport,” Eduardo Borges, SportFive president of Football Americas, said via the agency.
“And that presents an unparalleled opportunity for authentic engagement and long-term value." 
According to SponsorUnited, “Notably, most of these concentrated spenders are unique local entities — such as regional banks, universities, or healthcare systems — dedicating virtually all their sponsorship dollars to their home market.
“None of the 75%+ spenders appear in more than one city’s top list, highlighting how brands — regardless of scale — are prioritizing depth over breadth in the key markets that matter most to their business.”
These 13 markets have drawn $725 million in new sponsorship investments, led by Los Angeles.($178M), New York/New Jersey ($124M) and the San Francisco/Bay Area ($55M).
“When just looking at soccer, Kansas City, Miami, and Vancouver allocate the largest share of their overall sports sponsorship investment, demonstrating the sport’s outsized importance in these markets compared to others.”
The World Cup is also driving spend across the sport in the U.S. and Canada.
“While soccer remains the smallest of the major pro sports in sponsorship revenue, MLS team sponsorship revenue has grown 21% in the past three years, paired with a 331% surge in branded social engagement across the teams," via SponsorUnited.
NWSL is also experiencing a boost in sponsorship deals and overall ecumenic growth.
“By exploring the sponsorship dynamics across the World Cup host cities, this report captures the full spectrum of brand activity and opportunity within some of North America’s most influential markets, where the upcoming tournament will only add another layer of momentum and visibility.”
FIFA Partners inclide adidas, Aramco, Coca-Coa Hundía/Kia, Lenovo, Qatar Airways and Visa.
Sponsors and supporters include AirBNB, Anheuser-Busch (Michelob Ultra), Bank of America, Diageo, Dove+Men, Frito-Lays, Hisense, Lenovo, McDonald’s, Mengnlu, Rockin’ Cargo, The Home Depot and Verizon.
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