Restaurants, transit and broadcasting gained, while hotels and air travel slipped despite World Cup crowds
OTTAWA — August 28, 2026
Canada’s hosting of FIFA World Cup matches provided only a modest lift to the economy in June, according to new data from Statistics Canada.
Despite thousands of fans travelling to attend 10 World Cup matches during the month, some tourism-related industries recorded declines rather than gains.
Accommodation services fell 0.7 per cent in June compared with May, while air transportation declined 0.5 per cent.
Other sectors benefited more noticeably from the tournament.
Food services and drinking places grew 0.6 per cent, suggesting restaurants, bars and other hospitality businesses received some additional spending from soccer fans and visitors.
Public transit also recorded stronger activity. Statistics Canada reported that the urban transit industry grew 1.7 per cent month-over-month, coinciding with large numbers of spectators travelling to and from World Cup venues.
One of the strongest increases was recorded in broadcasting. Radio and television broadcasting stations posted an 8.6 per cent increase, the sector’s largest monthly growth rate since the February Olympics.
The arts, entertainment and recreation sector also grew 1.1 per cent, supported by increased activity in spectator sports.
The figures suggest that while the World Cup generated substantial crowds, media attention and local activity, its immediate economic impact was uneven.
Restaurants, transit systems, broadcasters and spectator-sport businesses benefited, but the tournament did not translate into across-the-board growth for Canada’s tourism sector.
The data also indicate that the economic impact of hosting major international sporting events can vary considerably by industry, with some sectors capturing significantly more of the spending generated by visitors and fans than others.