Retail
4 minutes
Beyond the match: Spending patterns powering World Cup host cities
From downtown bars to online grocery baskets, new payments data shows how matchday spending reaches further than the stadium.
Key points
- Matchday spending spreads well beyond stadium areas, with online grocery sales in Atlanta rising more than 441%, showing the tournament’s impact extended to people watching from home or gathering for watch parties.
- Near SoFi Stadium in South Inglewood, bar sales rose 1,119% during the U.S. opening match against Paraguay.
- Bar sales in Seattle’s Pioneer Square increased 528%, while nearby restaurant sales rose 230%, showing that hospitality businesses across host-city neighbourhoods can see a major uplift during match times.
- The commercial opportunity is bigger than the stadium footprint – following the fans, not just the fixture.
When a major international football tournament comes to town, the impact is easy to spot. Packed stadiums. Crowded bars. Full restaurants. Fans filling downtown streets hours before kickoff.
But the true economic impact extends far beyond the stadium gates.
Recent payments data from three U.S. host cities reveals how matchdays influence spending patterns across entire metropolitan areas, creating opportunities not only for businesses near the action, but also for merchants serving fans gathering at home.
Atlanta: A citywide surge
When Spain faced Cape Verde in Atlanta, spending increased throughout the city.
In downtown Atlanta, home to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, restaurant sales rose 92%, while bar sales increased 337% as fans gathered before and after the match*.
The impact stretched well beyond the downtown core. In Buckhead, one of Atlanta's major business and shopping districts, average drugstore basket values jumped from $30 to $285, suggesting visitors were stocking up on last-minute essentials throughout the day.
Perhaps the most surprising trend came from consumers watching away from the stadium. Online grocery sales across Atlanta rose more than 441%, while restaurant sales increased 93% citywide**.
The data reflects a broader reality of major tournaments: not every fan attends a match, but many still participate through watch parties, gatherings and celebrations across the city.
Los Angeles: Commerce follows the crowds
The United States' opening match against Paraguay generated some of the most dramatic spending increases observed in the data.
Near SoFi Stadium, bar sales in South Inglewood rose an extraordinary 1,119% as fans gathered around one of the region's primary event hubs*.
The impact was also felt well beyond the immediate vicinity of the stadium. In Hollywood, restaurant sales increased 82% and bar sales rose 13%, highlighting how fans dispersed across the city to celebrate and watch matches.
Across Los Angeles as a whole, hospitality spending increased 41%. Restaurant spending rose 58%, while fuel purchases climbed 38% as residents and visitors traveled throughout the region**.
The data illustrates an important trend for merchants: major sporting events are increasingly citywide experiences rather than destination-only experiences.
Seattle: Hospitality shines
Seattle saw significant spending increases during matches featuring Belgium and Egypt as well as the United States and Australia.
Near Lumen Field, spending surged throughout Pioneer Square, where restaurant sales rose 230% and bar sales increased 528%*.
Nearby Belltown also experienced elevated activity, with restaurant sales rising 41%.
More broadly, Seattle's hospitality sector benefited from sustained spending throughout the city. Restaurant sales increased 112%, while overall hospitality spending rose 25%**.
For businesses across the hospitality industry, the economic benefits extended well beyond the immediate footprint of the stadium.
The story behind the transactions
While spending spikes around major sporting events are not new, what stands out is how broadly those effects now spread.
The traditional image of fans gathering exclusively near stadiums tells only part of the story. Today's supporters engage in multiple ways, from attending matches in person to gathering in restaurants, bars and homes across entire cities.
The dramatic increase in online grocery purchases in Atlanta is a particularly strong example. Just as NFL Sundays drive spending on food, drinks and household essentials, global football tournaments create recurring moments for fans to gather throughout the week.
For merchants, understanding those patterns is becoming increasingly important. The most significant opportunities may not always be found closest to the venue. They may be found wherever fans choose to celebrate.
A tournament that reaches beyond the host cities
Every watch party, family gathering or neighbourhood celebration creates its own ripple effect across local commerce. Payments data helps reveal those trends, showing how global events translate into very local spending decisions.
Behind every transaction is ultimately the same thing: people coming together around shared experiences.
And few events bring people together quite like football.
*Our own transaction data: represents average of both matchdays’ transaction values versus the baseline, for the period May 17 to Jun 7, 2026.
**Our own transaction data: represents matchday week transaction volumes versus the same week in previous years.
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