Consumer spending across the United States received a significant boost in June, with host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026 seeing particularly strong gains, according to new data from the Bank of America Institute.
The institute’s analysis of internal credit and debit card data revealed that total consumer spending rose 6.3% year-over-year in June, marking the strongest growth in over four years. This increase was primarily fueled by discretionary purchases, aided by declining gas prices; excluding gasoline, total card spending still climbed 5.6%.
The report noted that the tournament’s kickoff on June 11 provided a measurable lift to spending during the latter half of the month compared to the earlier period.
“The World Cup scored big for consumer spending in June,” said Joe Wadford, an economist at the Bank of America Institute. “Bank of America card spending showed healthy improvement toward the end of the month, due in part to a lift from the World Cup.”
England fans celebrate a goal during the match with DR Congo at an Atlanta bar. (James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images)
Since the tournament began, card data indicates elevated spending at restaurants and bars, a trend likely linked to World Cup viewership. The firm noted that some year-over-year gains were amplified by online promotional events that took place in late June this year but occurred in July last year.
A comparison of brick-and-mortar spending in World Cup host city zip codes versus the rest of the country showed the surge was concentrated in communities hosting matches. Restaurant spending in host cities rose by two percentage points, while remaining flat elsewhere during the same window.
“World Cup host cities saw a significant increase in brick and mortar spending, especially compared to the rest of the U.S.,” Wadford said.
Fans at a New York bar react to a goal in the match between France and Morocco. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Excluding restaurants, retail stores in host cities also experienced a spending uptick after the tournament started, whereas non-restaurant retailers in other areas saw growth decelerate.
“From packed stadiums to busy restaurants, the World Cup created a tailwind for the economy. But two of the main beneficiaries of the World Cup were local retailers and restaurants,” Wadford said.
“To me, this is a particularly positive story, as it suggests that a major portion of World Cup-generated spending stayed in the community.”
Scotland fans in the famed Tartan Army at a bar in Miami. (Ryan McDougall/PA Images via Getty Images)
The analysis also segmented spending by income level, revealing that lower-income households drove the largest increase in local brick-and-mortar spending within host cities, while higher-income households pulled back slightly.
Across all income groups, spending at brick-and-mortar restaurants increased when comparing the pre-tournament period to the weeks following the opening match.
“Positively, lower-income households provided the biggest boost to World Cup spending. Some of this is due to the fact that younger households skew lower income, and they were likely the main ones going out to celebrate this generational event,” Wadford explained.
“But some of the boost is due to this broader story of an improving economy for lower-income households. For example, we’re seeing a stronger labor market and higher wage growth, which in turn is helping to boost spending for lower-income families,” he added.
