Overview
- Organizers reported about 447,300 fans attended the seven World Cup matches staged at Gillette Stadium, producing large crowds for downtown watch parties and the FIFA Fan Festival.
- Meet Boston found hotel revenue per available room and average room rates rose more than 20 percent compared with last year as hotels were able to charge higher prices.
- Payment and restaurant data firms recorded big spikes in local spending, with Square reporting a 28 percent jump in restaurant and bar spending in the opening weeks and Toast/Beer Institute noting beer sales up about 12 percent overall and as much as 50 percent on high‑demand match days.
- The MBTA and Keolis ran 98 roundtrip event trains that carried nearly 109,000 riders to Gillette, and agencies say they corrected long entry queues after the first match by adjusting service for later games.
- Officials had projected up to a $1.1 billion regional impact before the tournament but public agencies spent tens of millions preparing for the event, and analysts say a full post‑event economic review is required to determine the net fiscal and legacy outcome.