The cost of bringing the 2026 World Cup to North America has been labelled the ‘craziest ever’ by economists, with the UK government now demanding an overhaul of how major sporting events are financed. The tournament, which will see matches hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, is projected to cost host cities a combined £12 billion in infrastructure and security alone, a figure that has sparked anger among British MPs who say the model ‘breeds inequality’.
For working families in the North, where football is not just a game but a lifeline, the news hits hard. The price of a pint in Manchester is already up 15 pence since January, and the thought of billions being spent on stadiums while local buses are cut is a bitter pill. ‘It’s a kick in the teeth,’ said Brenda from Salford, whose son works two jobs to afford season tickets. ‘The rich get their parties and we get the bill.’
The UK has long argued that the World Cup’s economic benefits are exaggerated. A government-commissioned report this week found that host cities often see a temporary spike in low-wage jobs and a permanent rise in debt. ‘We need a new deal,’ said a spokesperson for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. ‘The current system forces communities to shoulder the risk while FIFA and sponsors pocket the profits.’
At the heart of the row is the ‘cost-plus’ model used to fund tournaments. Cities are required to bid with promises of tax breaks and free infrastructure, all to secure a few weeks of global attention. In 2014, Rio de Janeiro spent £12 billion on the World Cup, a sum that could have built 200 schools. Today, many of its stadiums are mothballed. ‘It’s a vanity project for elites,’ said Dr. Amara Khan, an economist at the University of Leeds. ‘The only people who win are the ones selling beer and flights.’
Unions have also joined the fight. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called for a cap on ticket prices and a guarantee that all stadium staff earn at least the real living wage. ‘Too often, workers are hired for a few weeks on zero-hours contracts, then dropped,’ said TUC general secretary Kate Smith. ‘The World Cup should be a celebration of workers, not a race to the bottom.’
The UK is now pushing for FIFA to adopt a ‘legacy bond’ system, where a portion of tournament revenue is ring-fenced for host communities after the final whistle. The proposal has won support from Labour MPs and some Tory backbenchers, but faces resistance from the governing body, which argues it would ‘limit the magic of the games’.
For Sarah, a cleaner in Liverpool who saved for two years to watch a match in 2022, the problem is simpler. ‘I just want to be able to afford a ticket and a pie without remortgaging my house.’ The 2026 tournament may be a bonanza for corporate sponsors, but for millions of fans in Britain, the real reform can’t come soon enough.
