The Spain vs Argentina 2026 FIFA World Cup Final was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Photo Credit: FIFA World Cup 2026™
With the FIFA World Cup drawing global attention, convention bureaux have seen once-in-a-generation opportunities to secure meetings, conventions and business events after the final whistle.
Vancouver: record-breaking citywide conferences
Vancouver is already seeing encouraging signs. Destination Vancouver and the Vancouver Convention Centre say they have reached 61% of their annual citywide bid win target, while citywide lead volume is running at 125% of pace year to date.
Looking ahead, 2027 is shaping up to become the busiest year on record for citywide conferences – nearly 20% ahead of the previous peak in 2018 – while the team has already achieved 85% of its 2028 target.
The city welcomed its first post-World Cup citywide convention on 10 July, underlining the role business events play in sustaining year-round visitor demand.
“People often ask whether hosting an event like the FIFA World Cup is worth it,” said Destination Vancouver president and CEO Royce Chwin. “The real question is what happens because of it. If an international association chooses Vancouver for its convention, or another global event decides this is the city it wants to call home, that's the legacy we're building.”
Atlanta: entertain and convert
Atlanta has taken a similarly long-term view.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) has used the tournament “as a way to entertain customers in hopes of attracting future conventions to the city”.
Along with Georgia World Congress Center Authority, ACVB invested around US$1.2 million in hospitality during the tournament, purchasing match tickets and a suite to entertain 95 clients – which bureau president and CEO William Pate said could drive convention business for the next five years, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO, Metro Atlanra, added: “Hosting eight FIFA World Cup 2026 matches reinforced metro Atlanta’s position as a global business hub… visitors from more than 80 countries experienced our region, and international business delegations engaged with leaders across metro Atlanta. Those connections matter. They create opportunities to attract investment, grow trade relationships, and accelerate future growth.”
Beyond business development, the World Cup 2026 also demonstrates the community legacy that sporting events can leave behind. The Atlanta World Cup Host Committee partnered with nonprofit Soccer in the Streets to expand its StationSoccer initiative, creating mini football pitches at MARTA stations that will provide year-round recreational spaces for local communities.