FIFA Series: Who Gets Rich When the World Cup Comes to Town?

About this episode

The episode explores the economic promises of the FIFA World Cup and who truly benefits from the event.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is here, and with it comes the familiar promise: billions in economic activity, a tourism boom, and a windfall for host cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. But according to Jules Boykoff, professor of politics at Pacific University, former U.S. U-23 national team player, and one of the leading scholars on the politics of mega events, those promises have almost never held up. In this episode, we dig into who actually profits when FIFA comes to town, and who gets left with the bill. From skyrocketing ticket prices and $100 train rides to MetLife Stadium, to the way FIFA's contracts have been quietly rewritten since 2010 to funnel revenue away from host cities and into FIFA's own coffers, Boykoff pulls no punches. We also get into the broader political stakes of hosting the World Cup under the current U.S. administration, the threat to immigrant communities, FIFA's coziness with power, and whether it's still possible to love the beautiful game while holding its governing body accountable. Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Fact Checking and Research: Paroma Chakravarty I Sound Designer…

People in this episode

Host: Kavitha A. Davison

Guest: Jules Boykoff

Topics covered

• FIFA World Cup
• economic impact
• sports politics
• tourism
• immigrant communities
• mega events

Keywords

• FIFA
• World Cup
• economic activity
• tourism boom
• host cities
• ticket prices
• politics
• immigrants

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: FIFA, Pacific University, U.S. U-23 national team, Immigrantly Media, Epidemic Sound

Places: United States, Canada, Mexico, MetLife Stadium

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