Whenever a city can host a major sporting event—no matter if it’s the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup, All-Star Game, or National Championship—it’s frequently met with mixed reactions. Critics are quick to raise concerns about public subsidies, infrastructure overhauls, and temporary job creation. Others fault organizing bodies of tournaments, like FIFA or the NFL, arguing these bodies exploit local host committees and withdraw valuable resources without delivering the long-term benefits promised in the underlying host bid process.

But a closer look at the numbers—and the playbook for pulling off the successful hosting of major sporting events—reveals a picture filled with optimism. If handled correctly, these massive events can inject billions into the local economy, bolstering tourism, spurring job creation, and enhancing the global status of a city. The key is robust local buy-in and intentional community investment, allowing host cities to ensure the financial benefits are shared equitably and invested where they can be most impactful.

2026: South Florida and Miami’s Moment on the Global Stage

Greater Miami and South Florida, for example, are on the cusp of a record sequence of international and national sports and entertainment blockbuster events. In the next year, South Florida and Miami will welcome the World Baseball Classic, host the College Football National Championship, and serve as a site for several FIFA World Cup matches. Factoring in annual events like the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Miami Open, and Art Basel (not to mention the typical schedules of the city’s five professional sports teams) will result in the global spotlight shining brighter than ever before on Miami and South Florida more broadly.

The complete lineup headed the city’s way will present a remarkable opportunity but also an enormous challenge. With ever-growing numbers of eyes now trained on Miami, success will depend on the city’s ability to plan strategically so residents and nonprofit organizations—instead of just event planners—are well-placed to share in the spoils.

Dispelling the Myth: Do Events Like the World Cup Take More from Communities Than They Give Back?

You’ve likely already heard the critique: hosting massive events like the FIFA World Cup all too often leaves cities financially worse off. There’s no doubt these events are expensive—Miami-Dade County approved $46M in funding for their World Cup host committee, including $25M in in-kind county services like fire rescue and police and another $21M in cash subsidies (which have faced recent calls for retraction)—with similar spending across many of the other fifteen host sites for the 2026 tournament. Understandably, residents have been vocal about their concerns—especially as Miami faces budget cuts to the arts and community programming for social services.

These fears, as valid as they are, can all too easily overshadow the broader economic context. To put things in perspective, the New York/New Jersey Host Committee for the 2026 World Cup calculated that the event will generate a $3.3B economic impact within their region alone—$1.7B in spending by visitors and $1.3B in labor income. Down south, Miami’s host committee is projecting up to $1.5B in economic impact, with some comparing the financial payout to hosting seven Super Bowls in a single summer.

These benefits extend far past the stadium’s entrance gates—spreading outward to local restaurants, hotels, boutique stores, and transportation services, all of which rely on these sorts of big events for much of their financial income. Notably, these businesses also generate additional tax dollars that can be reinvested into public services, fostering even more positive impact for host cities.

Local Buy-In: The Missing Link

As much as these projections are astronomical, there is a harsh reality behind the scenes: community buy-in is the kiss of life or death for long-term success in staging the grand event. Not only do these events need publicity—they also require local support to complement the underlying contractual obligations from host city bid commitments. Small business involvement, workforce participation, and local government accountability are essential to successful event hosting in these cities. If residents are made to feel overlooked or excluded, the perceived benefits these major tournaments bring can rapidly turn sour.

Host cities that are able to engage in their communities early—creating pathways for local business involvement, ensuring jobs for local workers, and offering budget transparency—are in turn enabled to create a lasting, positive legacy. For example, Miami’s $25M investment in in-kind county services for the World Cup is more than just a feel-good headline—it’s a commitment by the city to ensure public safety and operational excellence, a key point after challenges in recent tournaments. A well-run event is one that will encourage return tourism and will raise the city’s international reputation—but that outcome only has value if locals also feel the impact: better infrastructure, more jobs, and stronger public services are essential to a positive hosting outcome.

Going for Goal: Infrastructure, Jobs, and Long-Term Value

It’s no secret that these large-scale events are incredibly labor-intensive, demanding thousands of workers. In New York/New Jersey, officials are preparing for the creation of nearly 26,000 new jobs in relation to the 2026 World Cup—including positions in hospitality, construction, security, and event logistics. A similar boom of job creation is likely to befall Miami, especially with the city preparing to host a number of events in such a short duration of time.

The payoffs for hosting these events go far, far beyond the shriek of the final whistle or the last fan exiting out of the stadium. Infrastructure upgrades—specifically to transportation networks, security systems, and stadiums—will serve these local city communities for decades and decades to come. The key to making such an impact lies in making sure projects of long-term use and durability are prioritized—not just those exhibiting event-specific flash.

Global Visibility: Providing a Priceless Boost

As it was aptly described by Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, “[w]e are going to have every camera in the world in Miami-Dade County.” That type of visibility goes far beyond symbolism. It turns into long-term economic upside, with cities hosting these sorts of global events often seeing trickle-down increases in international business investment, cultural prestige, and local tourism—effects potentially benefitting host cities for years to come.

Fans and locals alike should look at Miami and other host cities not as destinations but as global brands. Events like the National Championship Game and FIFA World Cup allow hosts to showcase the energy, diversity, and infrastructure of their city on a gigantic—often global—stage. When that spotlight is paired with effective local planning and wise governmental stewardship, the returns can be truly spectacular.

A Smart Investment—If Done Right

It goes without saying that the economic cost of hosting world-class sporting championships and competitions is a tall ask. However, when matched with an honest government, prudent planning, and most importantly, grassroots community backing, the return on investment can be simply mind-boggling for any host city. Winning takes an all-in team effort.

South Florida and Greater Miami have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make an example of itself. In choosing to put the community first in their event hosting and making sure economic returns accrue not just to sponsors and organizers but also to the people who live in the city and work there every day, these hosts have the ability to redefine how to host big sporting events on an international stage—coming out stronger and more united on the other side.

Oliver Canning is a 3L at the University of Miami School of Law. He can be followed on Twitter (X) @OCanning and found on LinkedIn.