US economy lost $11.7 billion due to World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup may have caused a $11.7 billion loss in US productivity due to employee absenteeism and early departures, per UKG report.

On July 7, US workplace attendance dropped 26% after the US team's defeat to Belgium, nearly ten times the decline after the Super Bowl, per Envoy.

Visitor entries also fell 32% on that day, three times more than the day after the Super Bowl, a phenomenon Envoy dubbed 'Knockout Tuesday'.

Absenteeism peaked during US matches; attendance gradually returned to normal after the US was eliminated.

Companies in host cities like S&P, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Goldman Sachs implemented policies to mitigate productivity loss.