New York and New Jersey expect $3.3-billion boost from hosting World Cup
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The region will hold eight matches at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey, including the final on July 19, 2026, expecting to bring in over 1.2 million fans and tourists, according to an economic impact summary released Monday by the NYNJ Host Committee, the local body responsible for organizing the games.
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The tournament will generate $1.3 billion in projected total labor income for the regional economy, and $1.7 billion in projected spending within the regional economy by match and non-match attendees, according to the committee's estimates.
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Next year's games are expected to be the most highly attended in FIFA's history, with roughly six million fans from around the world projected to attend the tournament's 104 matches in the US, Canada and Mexico. Boston, Dallas, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Los Angeles are among the other 11 host US cities.
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'It's a legacy-defining opportunity to create lasting economic and social impact for New York and New Jersey,' said Alex Lasry, chief executive officer of the NYNJ Host Committee in a statement. 'From record tourism and global visibility to local investment and job creation, this tournament will help shape the future of our region.'
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President Donald Trump — who refers to FIFA President Gianni Infantino as a friend — has high expectations for next year's turnout even as he continues to roll out tariffs on a swath of countries, including nations that are expected to compete in the World Cup next year.
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'Tensions are a good thing,' Trump said during a FIFA task force meeting at the White House earlier this year when asked about how his policies could impact the games. 'It'll make it more exciting.'
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More than 26,000 jobs will be generated across both states to support the games, according to the summary. The event will also bring in roughly $432 million in state and local tax revenues. The study was carried out in partnership with Tourism Economics, which is owned by Oxford Economics.
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The Club World Cup 2025 — a 63-match competition between top club soccer teams from around the world — concluded with a final hosted by the New Jersey-New York region on July 13. The tournament sold close to 1.5 million tickets, according to a statement from FIFA. The games served as a small preview of what's to come in 2026.
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'In less than one year from today, more than one billion people around the world will be watching,' said Chair of the NYNJ Host Committee Tammy Murphy in a statement. 'The countdown is on for this once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase our region on the world stage.'
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Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Luck needed to buy Canada's World Cup game tickets, but odds improve the more you pay
Canada Soccer's revamped fan membership program relaunched Tuesday, opening the door to its ticket allotment for Canada's games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Exact details, from timing to pricing, have yet to be announced. But you have to be a member of the CanadaRED program to be part of the ticket lottery.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Luck needed to buy Canada's World Cup game tickets, but odds improve the more you pay
Canada Soccer's revamped fan membership program relaunched Tuesday, opening the door to its ticket allotment for Canada's games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Exact details, from timing to pricing, have yet to be announced. But you have to be a member of the CanadaRED program to be part of the ticket lottery. The new program is an expanded version of the one used to distribute Canada game tickets at the 2022 tournament in Qatar — the Canadian men's first trip to the soccer showcase since 1986. There are seven tiers, ranging from free to $5,000 a year, with tax receipts available for the charitable component of each contribution. A separate lottery will be held for each of Canada's matches, with an equal number of tickets assigned to a draw at each CanadaRED tier. Members unsuccessful in the lottery at their level become eligible for the lottery at lower tiers. In other words, the higher the tier, the better the odds of getting a ticket — and the more perks. Members of the top Icon tier get a gift worth $200 as well as two 'fieldside national team matchday' experiences a year, among other benefits. Tickets to Canada's group games — the 28th-ranked Canadian men open play June 12, 2026, at Toronto's BMO Field before heading to Vancouver for matches June 18 and 24 at B.C. Place Stadium — will be scarce for home fans. Canada Soccer gets eight percent of the 'purchasable inventory' for each Canada game at the World Cup, distributed across different price categories. With a tournament capacity of 45,000 for BMO Field and 54,000 for B.C. Place, eight percent translates to 3,600 and 4,320, respectively. But the number available for Canadians in the CanadaRED lottery will be smaller, with tickets earmarked for FIFA, sponsors, media and premium hospitality packages cutting into inventory. CanadaRED members will be able to request conditional tickets for possible Canada knockout-round games. There are two other ways Canadians can get tournament tickets. FIFA, which expects 6.5 million fans to attend the expanded 48-team, 104-match competition across Canada, Mexico and the U.S., has announced its worldwide ticket lottery will open Sept. 10. There is no word yet on ticket pricing, but in 2022, tickets for non-Qatar residents ranged from $94.50 for the cheapest group-game option to $2,214 for the most expensive seat at the final. Hospitality packages for the tournament are already available, starting at $2,500 for a single game. Canada Soccer first announced details of the revamped CanadaRED program in March. There are two free tiers (Starter and Community, with the latter for registered players, referees, coaches, and volunteers), and five paid tiers — with levels at an annual cost of $50 (Squad), $150 (Premier), $500 (Champion), $1,000 (Legend) and $5,000 (Icon). Kevin Blue, Canada Soccer's CEO and general secretary, says the revamped program is part of the organization's fundraising efforts. 'We're in a world where traditional revenue streams like government support are not projected to grow at the same rate as the sport is growing and the investment requirements are growing,' Blue said. 'So we have to diversify revenue, and this is one of the ways we are doing it. But we are trying to do it in a way that we think is reasonable, fair, balanced and accommodating for stakeholders that have been loyal and have been around for a long time.' 'We're trying to handle a very, very complicated and unprecedented situation in the most reasonable way possible,' Blue added. To that end, the Community tier also covers longtime members of the Voyageurs supporters group and the most capped national team alumni. Those in that tier will have the ability to upgrade to the next ($50) tier at a discounted price of $26. And the longest-tenured Voyageurs, as well as Canada Soccer Hall of Famers and most-capped national team alumni, will get 'additional accommodations to receive even more priority.' 'They've done a reasonable job of rewarding fans that have been with them for a while, but also giving as much access as they can to people who are interested,' Regina's Rob Notenboom, president of the Voyageurs board of directors, said of Canada Soccer's ticket blueprint. Founded in 1996, the Voyageurs have some 2,000 members. John Nicolls, a Vancouver resident whose daughter Sofia played striker for Dalhousie University, said he would be prepared to join one of the lower-cost tiers to increase his chance of getting tickets to a local Canada game for his family. But he had more questions than answers, wondering about the cost of tickets (which is not covered in the CanadaRED membership) and how many you can apply for (yet to be confirmed). Blue says Canada Soccer will provide answers to such questions as soon as the information is available. U.S. Soccer has a similar multi-tiered supporter membership program dubbed Insiders. It has nine tiers ranging from Standard Insider (free) to President Circle (US$10,000 a year) with perks to match. English fans have to join the England Supporters Travel Club for a shot at tickets for England's World Cup games. A new adult membership costs 85 pounds ($156.20) with the lottery pot weighted towards members who have attended the most England games. CanadaRED previously offered three tiers — the first free and the other two at a cost of $50 and $150 annually, respectively — with differing levels of access to Canada game tickets and other perks. Canada Soccer says it currently has a little more than 100,000 members across the three tiers. Proceeds from the CanadaRED program will 'directly impact the lives of athletes, coaches, and communities across the country, ensuring that soccer in Canada continues to grow and thrive,' according to Canada Soccer. The association, with the help of major donors, seeks to raise $25 million in new money by 2027 to provide national teams, from youth to the senior level, with 'world-class training resources and competitive opportunities,' as well as helping develop high-performance Canadian coaches and remove barriers to entry to Canadian youth in club soccer. Money from the CanadaRED program will go to the same causes. Canada Soccer reported 2024 revenue of $37.546 million, including 'approaching $2 million' in philanthropy. At the time, Blue said that was part of more than $10 million already committed, with the rest coming in future years — with more to come. Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. Blue expects the World Cup ticket demand to be 'unprecedented for Canadian soccer,' which is saying something given Canada's past interest. Canada was the top non-participating FIFA member association in terms of ticket sales at the 2010 tournament in South Africa and ranked in the top 10 in 2014 in Brazil. In 2010, Canada ranked seventh among all countries — participating or not — in terms of country of residence ticket sales at 17,493. In 2014, the figure was 22,942, good for 11th place in world sales. In 2018, in Russia, Canada ranked 17th at 18,131. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
The ‘Folk Hero' is back: Veteran kicker Nick Folk signs with the Jets
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The Folk Hero is back in The Big Apple. Veteran kicker Nick Folk signed with the New York Jets on Tuesday, reuniting with the franchise for which he played for seven seasons from 2010 through 2016. The 40-year-old Folk will compete with rookie Harrison Mevis for the kicking job this season for new head coach Aaron Glenn and special teams coordinator Chris Banjo. Rookie Caden Davis, who was competing with Mevis, was waived by New York earlier in the day. 'Listen, he is a very established kicker in this league,' Glenn said of Folk. 'When you go back and you look at his stats from the last couple of years, man, they've been above board. And I've said this from the beginning: Anybody that can help us win games, man, we're going to take a look at that.' Folk was nicknamed 'Folk Hero' during his first stint with the Jets for his ability to make crucial kicks, particularly during the second of New York's consecutive runs to the AFC championship game under Rex Ryan in the 2010 season. His 729 points rank second on the Jets' franchise list, trailing only Pat Leahy (1,470). In 104 games with New York, Folk was 175 of 213 on field-goal attempts (82.2%) and 204 of 206 on extra points. 'I'm happy that he chose us, all right,' Glenn said, 'to be a part of what we're trying to do.' Folk kicked the last two seasons for Tennessee, which chose to move on from him in the offseason when the Titans signed Joey Slye. Folk previously played four years for New England, where he had a career resurgence. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. He was a sixth-round draft pick of Dallas in 2007 out of Arizona and was selected to the Pro Bowl as a rookie. After three years with the Cowboys, he signed a free agent deal with the Jets in 2010. His 56-yard field goal that season set a franchise that has since been eclipsed. Folk booted a 32-yarder with 3 seconds left to beat Indianapolis in the AFC wild-card round. Folk signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent in 2017 and struggled with an injury before being released. He was out of football until signing with Arizona of the Alliance of American Football in 2019. In other roster moves Tuesday, the Jets signed running back Lawrance Toafili and offensive lineman Liam Fornadel and waived/injured center Gus Hartwig, who left practice Monday with a knee injury. ___ AP NFL:
