Thursday, October 1, 2026
While much debate has surrounded the sports and soccer fan experience tied to the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup — from concerns over rising ticket prices to reports of steep train fares for matches — experts say Long Island businesses could see a significant economic boost from the tournament coming to the region.
New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, the home of American football teams New York Jets and Giants, will host eight soccer matches, including two playoff games and the championship final match. Despite the fact that no games will be played in New York, FIFA’s temporary renaming of MetLife Stadium as “New York/New Jersey Stadium” markets the New York metropolitan area to the thousands of fans who will be following the tournament.
Steve Kent, chief economist and director of the Long Island Association’s Research Institute, says that the World Cup promises to be economically beneficial for Long Island.
“I think that our general view is that it would be a positive for the Long Island region,” Kent said. “We’re already seeing watch parties starting to be established. For example. Stony Brook University is going to have one at LaValle Stadium… and I think all of those things will bring incremental dollars to Long Island.”
While Long Island hotels may be a bit out of the way for some fans visiting New York and attending World Cup matches, Kent believes that local businesses may be able to capitalize on the interest the tournament sparks amongst residents.
“I also think that you may even see more spending at restaurants, caterers and supermarkets as people start to take in food to watch some of these things at home,” Kent explained. “It’s a worldwide event and it’s increasingly something that the people of Long Island are more and more interested in.”
This growth in interest has been seen in rising rates of adult and youth participation in soccer across Long Island. The Island F.C., a professional men’s and women’s soccer club based in Uniondale that plans to join the MLS Next Pro league in the 2027 season, has contributed to soccer’s popularity on Long Island through hosting youth soccer academies and other events locally.
“Long Island has had one of the deepest soccer traditions in soccer history in the country especially in the youth space and then also the traditional space,” said Travis Lamprecht, The Island F.C.’s president of business operations. “I think what’s unique about Long Island is that it’s always been a hotbed for the sport. So, with The Island F.C. launching, and then obviously what the World Cup coming here, it’s a celebration of what has been growing for a long time.”
In recent history, the Long Island Association has also noticed other major sporting events nearby, like the 2025 Ryder Cup that was held on a golf course in Farmingdale, directly impact Long Island economically. While it is not yet clear how directly Long Island will be impacted by the World Cup, local intrigue alone can make the summer very profitable for many businesses and communities.
