World Cup 2026
FORECAST BRIEF
Forecast Advisory

Prepare your forecast for
the 2026 World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup arrives on US soil June 11. This brief gives you the benchmark data and step-by-step instructions to manually adjust your forecast before the tournament starts.

48
Nations
104
Matches
16
Host cities
39
Days
Jun 11 – Jul 19
Window
Overview

The biggest hospitality demand event in a generation.

▾

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first held in the United States since 1994 — and the first ever at 48 teams. 104 matches across 16 cities in three countries over 39 days, with multi-day fan festivals, international tourism, and nationwide broadcast viewership driving demand well beyond stadium zones.

For context: nearly 80% of NYC restaurants reported sales increases during the 2022 Qatar World Cup — and those matches aired between 5 AM and 2 PM Eastern, eight time zones away. With matches now in US cities, in US time zones, with millions of visitors on the ground, the demand signal is significantly larger.

What the benchmarks say
These projections draw on historical hospitality demand data — including the 1994 US World Cup, Super Bowl host city economics, the 2024 Copa America, and large-scale multi-city US events — combined with Fourth's proprietary benchmarks. The range is +5% to +50% above baseline depending on proximity, concept type, tournament phase, and local market conditions. The next sections break this down.
Host cities

16 venues across 3 countries.

▾
Match calendar

Every match, by date and city.

▾

Sorted chronologically. Use this to plan which weeks need adjustments and where.

Group stage matchups per FIFA draw (Dec 2025). Knockout matchups TBD.

Recommended adjustments

Your forecast adjustment depends on how close you are to a venue.

▾

We built three proximity tiers based on distance from the stadium and official fan festival zone. Click a tier to see its recommended ranges.

Showing adjustments for Tier 2 (3–10 miles from venue):

🍽
Concept matters

The tier adjustments above assume a general full-service restaurant. Your concept type shifts the number meaningfully. Use these as directional modifiers on top of the tier range.

Sports Bar / Bar+30–40% above tier
Fast Casual+15–25% above tier
QSR+10–20% above tier
Casual DiningBaseline (use tier as-is)
Café / Coffee5–10% below tier
Upscale / Fine Dining10–20% below tier
How to apply

Set it up once, activate week by week.

▾

This takes about 5 minutes per match week in Forecast Manager. Create all your adjustments now, save without applying, then activate each one as the match week approaches.

1
Open Forecasting
Log into HotSchedules → Forecasting in top nav.
2
Select the match week
Find the week with a match day. Click Create Sales Forecast or Generated on [date].
3
Open Forecast Adjustments
Left sidebar → Forecast Adjustments → click +.
4
Create a Percent Adjustment
Percent Adjustments tab → Create Percent Adjustment. Name it clearly: WC – Match Day or WC – [City] Group Stage.
5
Enter the adjustment
Days: the specific match day(s). Time: your service window. Factor: your match-day range (e.g. +25%–35%). Revenue Center: All unless targeting specific areas.
6
Apply and save
Check the box → Apply Adjustment → Save Forecast. Repeat for each match week.
Batch it: Create all your World Cup adjustments now without applying. Each week, open the forecast, check the box, apply, save. One click per week.
→ Full guide: How to Adjust Your Forecast in HotSchedules
Need help dialing in your adjustments?
Contact your Customer Success representative for a location-specific walkthrough. Your CS team can help you identify the right tier, factor in your concept type, and build adjustments tailored to your locations.
Prep checklist

What to lock in before June 11.

▾

Forecast adjustments are step one. Here's the full operational readiness list — prioritized by urgency.

Important disclosures

Forecast projections are based on historical hospitality demand data. Actual results will vary by location, concept, proximity to venues, and local market conditions. These figures are provided for planning guidance only and do not constitute a guarantee of performance.

Third-party data referenced on this page, including reported sales increases during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, is sourced from publicly available industry reporting. Fourth has not independently verified this data and makes no representation as to its accuracy.

Product references to Sales Forecasting, Forecast Manager, and Fourth iQ are subject to your existing subscription terms. Features and functionality may vary by plan. Contact your account team for details specific to your configuration.

This page is intended for existing Fourth customers and is provided for informational purposes only. Nothing on this page constitutes a legal, financial, or operational guarantee.

Contact your CS rep