Throwing a party in North America, known as the 2026 World Cup for the entire planet, sounds fun until a multi-billion-dollar bill arrives, and the USA, Mexico, and Canada won’t be able to dine and dash.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, the United States is learning that hosting the world’s biggest sporting event comes with a price tag in the billions. The USA alone faces costs topping $5 billion, while North America as a whole will spend more than $12 billion.
The United States dodged one of the usual World Cup money traps by sticking with existing NFL stadiums instead of building new venues specifically for soccer. That move slashed infrastructure costs compared to recent tournaments in Qatar, Brazil, and Russia.
FIFA’s contentious pricing strategy seems to have backfired, with hundreds of thousands of World Cup tickets remaining unsold.
Spending on security, transportation, fan events, temporary stadium upgrades, and government support has already pushed American costs past earlier estimates. All this comes before Mexico even kicks off the tournament against South Africa on Thursday night in Mexico City.
The largest share of federal funding comes from the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA. Officials have set aside about $625 million in grants for security, counterterrorism, and related efforts.
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