The first days of the 2026 World Cup have not generated the economic impact that merchants, restaurateurs and tourism service providers in Mexico expected. Surveys by business organizations reveal that sales remain below expectations, despite the festive atmosphere in the host cities.
Factors such as FIFA restrictions on the use of brands and broadcasts, the high costs of tickets, lodging and consumption, as well as the small number of matches in Mexican territory, have limited the economic impact.
The Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco-Servytur) reported that only 11.6 percent of Businessmen reported an increase in their sales during the first week of the tournament. The National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac) indicated that only half of the restaurants recorded income higher than that of a usual week.
They warn that the consumer remains cautious in their expenses due to the increase in the prices of food and services, which has reduced consumption in recreational activities.
Economic analysts agree that the benefit is concentrated in the host cities and in specific sectors, while small businesses see few changes in their income. They estimate that the impact of the tournament on the Mexican economy will be just 0.2 percentage points, because most of the matches take place in the United States and Canada.
Specialists also point out that many fans choose to follow the games in public spaces or Fan Fest areas, avoiding high expenses on tickets and official products. Although they consider that benefits could still be recorded in the coming weeks, initial expectations about the spill were higher than the results observed so far.
