The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which starts on 11 June across the US, Canada and Mexico, is the largest in the tournament's history, with 48 national teams competing across 16 host cities for the first time.
FIFA itself has staked enormous claims on the economic returns, projecting a $30.5 billion (€26.1bn) windfall for the three host nations combined and that the tournament will generate up to $40.9 billion (€35bn) in additional global GDP.