World Cup Visitors Kick Big Bucks Into New York

The FIFA World Cup was a boon for the state's economy, with visitors directly spending over $1 billion in the first five games of the tournament through hotel bookings, transportation and fan festivals.

Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday highlighted the preliminary statewide economic impacts of the global soccer tournament, where there was $1.2 billion in direct visitor spending, generating a total economic impact of $2.1 billion, according to an analysis by Tourism Economics through the first five World Cup Group Matches hosted at MetLife Stadium in June.

These figures do not include the final three games, so the state is expected to exceed the revenue projections for hosting the World Cup, the governor said.

“When we brought the FIFA World Cup to New York, we wanted to make sure every New Yorker, every community and every industry would benefit — these past six weeks have proven that effort a success,” Hochul said in a statement. “As fans from around the world flocked to New York, hotel revenues went up, spending at local businesses increased and our affordable buses moved people to and from the game faster than ever. And it doesn’t just stop here, we’re making sure the World Cup has a lasting impact on our state by investing in soccer fields and youth soccer programming to support young athletes for years to come.”

From June 8-July 4, hotels in the New York City Metropolitan area saw an increase in room revenue compared to the same time period last year. New York City hotels generated approximately $1.07 billion in room revenue, up 20.6% percent over the same period last year, the governor said.

In June, $228 million in state and local tax revenue was generated and to date, more than one million fans have attended official New York New Jersey fan events between the two states. Additionally, the Welcome World Rewards Program generated approximately 10,000 small business visits across more than 1,000 local businesses, restaurants, cultural institutions and community events across New York and New Jersey.

"Over the past six weeks, we didn't just host the world — we showed the world exactly what New York does best: creating opportunity, welcoming visitors, keeping people safe and performing on the biggest stage," said Senior Director of Major Events Justin Brannan.