Special Report
COMPREHENSIVE CHECKLIST TO HELP BUSINESSES PREPARE FOR SOCCER’S 2026 WORLD CUP
Today’s FIFA World Cup draw – where each nation learns the opponents they will play at next year’s tournament and each host city learns which teams they will welcome – should be a wake-up call for businesses that the time to prepare is now. JUST SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILL DESCEND ON THE US, MEXICO, AND CANADA, AS THE THREE COUNTRIES JOINTLY HOST THE WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT. It’s likely to be the largest sporting event in history, with millions of visitors pouring into 16 local markets over the course of five weeks. This means that there will be plenty of challenges and opportunities for your business, even if you think the event will be meaningless to your organization or that you won’t even feel its impact. But a quick review of our comprehensive checklist will open your eyes to the many facets you need to start thinking about now.
THE DETAILS:
If you’re not familiar, the world’s best international soccer teams play in a month-long tournament every four years to hoist one of the world’s most desirable trophies.
The 2026 edition will be the largest ever, with 48 teams (expanded from 32) playing in a total of 104 games (increased from 64).
The tournament will take place between June 11 and July 19.
The following 16 cities will host matches (number of matches hosted in parentheses): Dallas (9), NY/NJ (8), Atlanta (8), Los Angeles (8), Houston (7), Boston (7), Miami (7), Philadelphia (6), San Francisco area (6), Kansas City (6), Seattle (6), Toronto (6), Mexico City (5), Vancouver (5), Guadalajara (4), and Monterrey (4).
The final will take place in NY/NJ on July 19, and the two semifinal matches will be held in Atlanta and Dallas.
As of now, we know that Mexico will play its three group stage games in Mexico City (2) and Guadalajara; Canada will play in Vancouver (2) and Toronto; and the US will play in Los Angeles (2) and Seattle.
COMPREHENSIVE CHECKLIST OF CONSIDERATIONS
As you begin your preparations for the World Cup, here are considerations you should keep in mind – especially if you have operations in any of the host cities.
STAFFING NEEDS
What are our projected staffing requirements leading up to and during the World Cup period?
Do we need to hire temporary or contingent workers to meet increased demand, and how will we recruit them?
Do we need to hire temporary staff with specific foreign language skills? How can we leverage existing multilingual staff to better serve international visitors? What training programs should we implement to prepare staff for an international audience? Do we understand the legal standards in place for whether we can retain unpaid volunteers at our organization?
Are our current staff schedules flexible enough to accommodate extended hours or shift changes?
What incentives can we offer to attract and retain both temporary and standard employees during this period?
How will we manage employee workload to prevent burnout during peak times?
Do we have a plan for rapid onboarding of new workers to get them up to speed quickly?
What policies do we need to review or update regarding overtime, leave requests, and scheduling?
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