The 2026 tournament is expected to lift spending across North America, but economists warn the benefits may be temporary, uneven and constrained by U.S. border policies

If sports is the last arena in life in which pure meritocracy still reigns, during the World Cup this arena expands to encompass the entire globe.

Packed stadiums, record TV viewers, and an outlet for joyous multiculturalism under attack by Trump – the tournament has taken the US by storm