The 23rd FIFA World Cup is about to reach its conclusion, running from June 11th to July 19th. Although this year’s World Cup is being hosted across the USA, Canada and Mexico, it can still create UK growth opportunities through workplace productivity choices, public health activation, football-linked tourism and hospitality demand.
While the World Cup itself may not necessarily grow the UK economy directly, the UK can capture value if businesses and policymakers actively leverage the tournament for economic growth. In this article, we explore the potential social and economic benefits of the World Cup for the UK.
Because all matches are held abroad, the UK will not receive direct host-city spending. However, key Visitor Economy sectors, such as hospitality, accommodation services and transport providers are expected to see a boom in revenue. The ONS linked November 2022 growth in food and beverage service activities to the start of the FIFA World Cup, while industry data reported pubs saw strong sales uplifts for England matches. Recent analysis by money.co.uk suggests the wider economy will benefit from a net gain of £7.6bn between May and July this year, as fans flock to pubs, travel across the country to watch games with friends and family and spend more on food, drink and entertainment.
To maximise spending, many venues have planned for peak demand and created inclusive and well-managed viewing experiences. Venues extended their licensing hours, heavily increased pre-match staffing and invested in screens and viewing platforms. Pre-kick-off packages have also been created to drive revenue early, as the British Institute of Innkeeping estimates that up to 4 in 5 football fans arrive well before matches start.
The productivity impact of World Cup viewing is likely to be mixed. It could be argued that, due to the difference in time zones, late-night watches may have led to sleep deprivation and therefore unplanned absence from the workplace, reducing economic output. An independent survey by brewing company Allsopp's found that one in five Britons intends to pull a "sickie" after at least one World Cup match. That equates to almost 6.9 million workers and could result in an estimated £2.4bn hit to economic output.
However, some proactive employers have turned the event into a workplace engagement opportunity through flexible working, clear rules and team-building activity. In some cases, productivity losses have been managed by publishing a short “World Cup working agreement” covering leave, sickness, hybrid working, breaks and alcohol expectations. HR teams have also used the tournament to increase motivation and morale through team building exercises, such as charity sweepstakes, charity fundraisers or lunchtime discussions. These could help build team cohesion, especially where employers apply policies fairly across supporters of different teams.
The World Cup has the potential to support public health through converting interest into local physical activity and inclusive community sport. Major sporting events can create a “demonstration effect”, where elite sport can inspire participation. New research by the Royal Voluntary Service found over 24 million British adults plan to tune into a World Cup game this summer, and almost one in 10 (8%) say they would like to get more involved with football beyond simply watching the tournament. There is also historic evidence of this effect - Sport England reported that, with targeted National Lottery-backed legacy work, UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 contributed to 519,000 new opportunities for women and girls to engage in football, with 129,000 more girls playing football in schools, and 34,000 more women and girls playing recreationally. Sport England also estimates community sport and physical activity generated £122.9bn of social value in England in 2023/24, including wellbeing value and wider health value to society. However, participation evidence is not automatic, as the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) notes women, older people and disabled people are less likely to be active, so World Cup-linked activity should be designed to reach beyond already-active football fans.
UK local authorities routinely use major tournaments to promote physical activity. During the men's FIFA World Cup, councils across the UK paired broadcasts with grassroots sport funding, community "Be Active" initiatives, and employee wellbeing events to inspire residents to get moving and volunteer. Local authorities have also taken steps to mitigate negative health impacts from the tournament such as late nights, alcohol consumption and gambling, such as the “Stay well during the world cup” campaign ran by Walsall Council.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup delivers major social benefits, including particularly high levels of social connection and community building, youth development, and heightened global messaging around unity. With the expanded 48-team format, the tournament provides a larger global stage for emerging football nations, increasing cultural exchange and representation for fans and players. FIFA has also used the tournament to highlight a number of social impact campaigns during this year’s tournament. These include promoting unity, countering racism and encouraging physical activity among young people, alongside a strong emphasis on fostering peace and supporting education.
Even when hosted overseas, the World Cup is a major event which can create opportunities for social and economic impact where planning, partnerships and inclusive activation are in place.
GC Insight support places across the UK to assess the socio-economic impacts of programmes, while we are regularly involved in research to support the realisation of major events in local places. Connect with our team to find out more.
Published: 16 July 2026 - Author: Olivia Wilson
