World Cup 2026: What Restaurant Operators Need to Know About Traffic & Sales

By Sebastian Fernandez
Chief R&D Officer, Revenue Management Solutions

Can restaurants expect a traffic jump from the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Revenue Management Solutions (RMS) analysis of past events and store-level transaction data across 7,000+ US locations shows that host-city operators can capture meaningful gains in restaurant traffic and sales. But in non-host markets with high soccer engagement, restaurant sales declined by 1.4% during prior tournaments. The uplift in traffic comes down to game proximity, restaurant format and preparation.

A Global Event Meets a Pressured Industry

For restaurant operators, the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives at a complicated moment. Consumer traffic is already under pressure. According to RMS’ consumer report, 38% of Americans are spending less at restaurants than they were a year ago. Into that environment comes the largest sporting event ever held on American soil: 104 matches across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a projected 1.24 million international visitors to US host cities, and an economic impact ranging from $160 million to over $600 million per city.

The US soccer fanbase has grown 31% in just two years to nearly 47 million fans, according to Nielsen. The audience skews young and diverse, 76% of US soccer fans are Millennials or Gen Z and the fanbase is the most racially diverse of any major American sport. The 2026 World Cup will not be playing to a niche segment. For concepts in the right location, it is a genuine traffic opportunity. For those that aren’t, it is one more headwind. Four prior World Cups and RMS’ proprietary analysis of transaction data across more than 7,000 US restaurant locations show exactly where the line falls.

What Past Mega-Event Data Reveals About Restaurant Traffic and Sales

In 1994, the last time the US hosted a World Cup, restaurants in host cities posted food-and-beverage sales gains of 10% to 15%, with New York, San Francisco and Boston generating over $1 billion in combined visitor spending. The pattern repeated in Germany (2006) and Russia (2018): restaurants in host cities operated at or near capacity, while markets without matches saw little measurable change.

Brazil in 2014 was the exception. Beer sales rose nationwide, but even there, the restaurant lift remained concentrated in host cities.

To further quantify the proximity effect in the US, RMS analyzed store-level transaction data from four recent Super Bowls (LVI through LIX) using a difference-in-difference methodology.

Host-city locations saw sales increases of 8% to 20% during event week, depending on format and brand. Zartico research across 92 mega-event matches reinforces the point: in walkable markets like New Orleans, 96% of incremental food-and-beverage spending landed within one mile of the venue. In more spread-out markets, the spending radius was wider, but the per-location lift was weaker.

Who Watches Where and Why It Matters

In host cities, the visitor effect is the dominant force. Fans with tickets to one match will still be in town for days, watching other games at restaurants and bars. Host-city restaurants benefit from visitor volume regardless of how locals behave.

The more critical question is what happens in markets that are not hosting matches but have growing populations engaged with soccer.

RMS analyzed daily restaurant sales data during three prior North American soccer events: the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2024 Copa América. In markets with the highest concentrations of soccer-engaged households, restaurant sales declined by 1.4% during event windows. Markets with the lowest engagement were essentially flat. The pattern held across all three events.

The explanation is straightforward: in non-host cities, loyal viewers shift from dining out to watching at home. With America’s soccer fanbase now topping 47 million, that effect could expand well beyond traditionally soccer-heavy markets in 2026. But it is not inevitable: concepts that prepare now can attract viewers to their restaurants rather than losing them to their living rooms.

What Restaurant Operators Should Do to Capture World Cup Traffic

With the tournament now underway, RMS recommends operators act on four fronts:

1. Map your position against fan movement, not just proximity.
   The strongest lifts concentrate along pedestrian routes, transit corridors, hotel clusters and fan zones. Restaurant operators in the fan-flow zone should simplify menus, expand prep and increase staff. The goal is to execute at volume without sacrificing speed, quality or margin.
2. Compete for the viewing occasion or own off-premise.
   With 47 million soccer fans in the US and growing, this question applies to virtually every market, not just host cities. Restaurant concepts suited for group viewing should invest in creating match-day experiences: dedicated viewing areas, themed food-and-beverage menus and promotions that give fans a reason to come watch rather than stay home. QSR and fast-casual operators without viewing capacity should lean into off-premise: watch-party bundles, streamlined delivery and match-day takeout packages designed for groups.
3. Plan around the broadcast schedule, not just the calendar.
   With 104 matches across 39 days, midweek afternoon games create different staffing and inventory needs than Saturday evening fixtures. The FOX Sports schedule, 70 matches on network television, is the key planning input.
4. Price to attract, not extract.
   Use match-day menus, group-friendly bundles and beverage pairings as part of a restaurant pricing strategy designed to increase traffic and protect margins. Avoid broad-based dynamic pricing: HungerRush’s research shows it triggers a negative reaction in 64% of diners. Instead, rely on menu design and mix to guide guest purchasing behavior.

G-O-A-L!

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a genuine opportunity for the US restaurant industry. With a larger, broader and younger soccer fanbase than ever before, the potential audience extends well beyond traditional soccer markets. But four prior tournaments and transaction-level data from more than 7,000 US locations make the same point: the benefit goes to operators who are close to where fans gather, who actively compete for the viewing occasion and who can execute under event-driven pressure. Proximity, format and preparation are the variables that separate the restaurant brands that capture incremental traffic and sales from those that simply hope the World Cup is good for business.

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