All Eyes on America, the Uproar Behind the 2026 World Cup

Less than 100 days remain until the 2026 World Cup begins. This major event, eagerly anticipated by people around the world, will take place from June 11, 2026, to July 19, 2026. This tournament of friendship and peace has long been awaited.

This time, the host comes from three countries in North America, namely Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The matches will be held in 16 cities. With the extensive scope of the World Cup held every four years, it is certain to attract many tourists from various parts of the world.

This mega football tournament is expected to attract around 1.2 million international visitors. Among them are ticketless spectators and their companions, national team representatives, as well as match organizers, as reported by Tourism Economics in CBS News.

The 2026 World Cup will kick off on June 12, 2026, in Los Angeles. Seventy-eight matches will be played across 11 US cities, with an additional 26 matches also taking place in Mexico and Canada. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026.

The highly anticipated final event that the world has been waiting for will benefit the host countries, particularly the United States, which is experiencing a decline in visitor numbers in 2025. Last year, international visits decreased by 6.3 percent. However, the number is projected to grow by 3.7 percent this year, partly driven by the World Cup.

In a FIFA report, approximately 6.5 million people are expected to attend the 2026 World Cup. Expenditures related to the tournament are projected to reach 13.9 billion US dollars, equivalent to 236.5 trillion rupiah at an exchange rate of 17,015 rupiah per US dollar. This includes investments, hosting costs, FIFA's budget, and estimated tourist spending.

"The global impact in terms of economy and social aspects. For the economy, the direct and indirect financial impacts are derived from tourism and expenditures related to events. For social aspects, the monetary value of non-financial contributions, including both beneficial and detrimental factors," the report states.

The gross income referred to as the main economic impact is estimated to reach 80.1 billion USD or 1,362.9 trillion IDR. The 2026 World Cup is expected to generate economic growth (GDP) of up to 40.9 billion, equivalent to 695.9 trillion IDR.

"The tourism projections for the 2026 World Cup are very promising. The influx of visitors will generate billions of US dollars in economic activity, benefiting the service, transportation, and retail sectors," as stated in the FIFA report.

From this major event, 62 percent of the profits were contributed by the tourism sector. Other profits came from the sports aspect (32 percent) and entertainment (6 percent).

According to Forbes, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeatedly stated that World Cup tickets are selling out quickly. Demand continues to outpace the number of tickets on offer. However, this statement has been refuted with other possibilities, considering a number of dynamics at play.

"They sell tickets earlier for domestic customers. This raises a significant question regarding international visitors. This aspect is important to consider because each international visitor spends about four times more compared to the individual spending of US tourists," said Professor Alan Fyall from the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

At the same time, the Department of State has a priority system to expedite visa applications for football fans who have secured tickets. This situation certainly has the potential to sideline many visa applications from international visitors, especially since US visas are known to be lengthy and complicated.

Historically, many football fans without tickets still go to the World Cup host. This effort is made to enjoy the football fan festival and experience the atmosphere of victory when their favorite team wins in the early rounds.

"I would be surprised if there is a surge in the number of football fans from abroad at the last minute. It is not easy to reach the tournament location at the last moment, especially under the current conditions," said Fyall.

Another concern was expressed by the CEO of the American Travel Association, Geoff Freeman. He emphasized that the United States is the only major country in the world experiencing a decline in travel trends in 2025. This situation raises questions about whether the government will insist on implementing policies that hinder tourism, such as new visa fees.

Each international visitor is charged a fee of 100 US dollars or Rp 1.7 million to enter the national park. There is also a policy from the US Customs and Border Protection that requires international travelers to show their social media history.

These issues don't represent the full scope of the problems holding the US back. International visitors are also faced with complicated immigration policies, discrimination against LGBTQ+ passports, tightened border controls, and currency fluctuations, as reported by Euro News.

The US government has also banned travel from several countries, including four countries that qualified for the World Cup, namely Iran, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Haiti. It has also imposed an "official fee" of 250 US dollars or approximately 4.3 million rupiah for non-immigrant tourists and business visas.

In a report by the analytical service firm, CoStar and Tourism Economics, the demand for accommodations in the US during June-July is expected to grow only slightly. The increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) is projected to rise by just 1.7 percent year-on-year. This figure is about a quarter of the overall increase that the US experienced when it last hosted the World Cup in 1994.

As of early February, according to Cirium data, ticket bookings for flights to the cities hosting the tournament are expected to decline in June. The booking rate in Europe has decreased by 5 percent compared to last year, while Asia has recorded a decline of 3.6 percent. Only South America has shown an increase of 0.2 percent.

The escalating tensions in the Middle East between the US-Israel and Iran are expected to diminish the enthusiasm of football fans to enjoy the tournament in person. This situation exacerbates the various optimistic scenarios that have been formulated.

Alan Fyall, a professor at the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management, stated that the Iran war has been particularly challenging for tourism. Uncertainty is detrimental to the sector. Tourism relies on stability and safety, as quoted by Forbes.

Quoting 7News, Katy Nastro, spokesperson for the Going Travel application, said that the dynamics of travel to the 2026 World Cup host locations do not seem as exciting as anticipated.

"This World Cup, although it is an exciting event that many countries are looking forward to, seems to have a lower number of travels than we anticipated. If this pressure continues to increase, it will become more difficult for the host cities to fill the seats that have been prepared for international tourists," said Nastro.

While it's too early to tell how significant the impact will be, industry players are already preparing. Airlines have increased flights, many hotels are preparing for the crowds, and transportation businesses are already gearing up to welcome fans.

Geopolitical tensions and internal conditions in the United States are indeed likely to affect public enthusiasm for enjoying the 2026 World Cup. If the situation does not improve soon, the scenario of optimism risks becoming nothing more than a pipe dream.

It is not impossible that all the efforts prepared well in advance do not run optimally due to a lack of humility in welcoming and celebrating the 2026 World Cup. This football event should unite everyone while also serving as a moment for unity and peace.