Consider the United States of America the new home of the beautiful game — yes, the same country that insists on calling it by a different name. After successfully hosting the revamped inaugural edition of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the U.S. now shifts its focus to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with neighbors Canada and Mexico. While the tournament is widely expected to spark a wave of soccer fever across the nation, few realize it could also deliver a major boost to ordinary Americans.

And no, we’re not just talking about enjoyment or entertainment — this is about cold, hard cash. Hosting a World Cup doesn’t just come with automatic tournament qualification; it also brings perks like financial windfalls. In fact, experts believe it could even surpass one of America’s most beloved sports — football — when it comes to rental income generated during major events.

This one comes from the New York Business Journal, which reports that the 2026 FIFA World Cup could eclipse the revenue American football achieved during its premier spectacle, the Super Bowl, which brought in an impressive $10.5 million in rental earnings. But how exactly would that be achieved by a tournament that is coming back in the States after a whopping 32 years?

Well, consider a typical Super Bowl week in, say, New Orleans. Per the report, the short-term rental hosts were charging an average of $1,450 per available night. This is more than eight times their usual rates, especially when considering the February data provided by Beyond, a revenue management company that works with short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb.

Surprisingly, by January 30, total revenue from rentals over the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of Super Bowl weekend, leading up to the game on February 9, had already reached $10.5 million, according to AirDNA. A similar source further reported that New Orleans experienced a 67.1% year-over-year increase in average daily rental rates for Super Bowl weekend.

Believe it or not, but this growth actually surpassed the figures way more than what was recorded in Phoenix in 2023 (47%) and Las Vegas in 2024 (10.6%). Then again, when considering an annual basis, the overall supply of short-term rentals in New Orleans only rose by 2.6% around the time of the Super Bowl, potentially reflecting expectations of regulatory measures affecting such properties.

“There’s not a great sense yet of what the post-Super Bowl or Mardi Gras [short-term rental] market looks like, but it’s going to change a lot,” Gallagher said of New Orleans, insisting that the upcoming international tournament is surely bound to fill the pockets of all the Americans who have a hosting Airbnb types of services.

Frankly, we’re not surprised. The way soccer has finally carved out its place in the United States is nothing short of impressive. If FIFA’s collaboration with the U.S. already generated a whopping $2 billion in profits, there’s little doubt that an international tournament like the World Cup could have an even greater impact — one that might surpass the fandom of other popular sports and break revenue records. Still not convinced? Perhaps a few more numbers will do the trick.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be beyond every American’s imagination!

Earlier, the New York Post released an interesting report, stating that officials in New York and New Jersey expect a massive $3.3 billion economic boost from hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will run from June 11 to July 19. Remarkably, this figure comes from just eight matches scheduled at MetLife Stadium, the 82,500-seat home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets.

While the venue regularly draws big crowds for NFL games — and even hosted Super Bowl XLVIII, which generated $550 million — the World Cup impact will be on another level. The NY/NJ Host Committee projects $1.7 billion in spending by fans and visitors and $1.3 billion in total labor income from the event.

Tourism Economics, part of Oxford Economics, reports that the tournament will bring 1.2 million international visitors, major sponsors, and large-scale fan events to the area — all condensed into just one month. Simply put, the World Cup could produce more revenue in eight games than the NFL generates over a decade at MetLife.

This expanded 48-team World Cup is expected to be the most attended tournament in FIFA history, drawing around 6 million fans across all host cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. So, do you now believe the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the next big thing in U.S. sports history? Whether your answer is yes or no, share your thoughts in the comments.