Some lodging stocks are forecast to see significant upside during the World Cup. With fans traveling from far and wide, J.P. Morgan Global Research estimates that the tournament will generate $910 million in incremental U.S. hotel room revenue. Furthermore, revenue per available room (RevPAR) for host cities is expected to increase by up to 25% in June and July.

On the other hand, early occupancy data suggests corporate travelers are steering clear of host cities in June to avoid the World Cup rush. “This dynamic may weigh modestly on occupancy, especially between games, but should be more than offset by stronger pricing,” said Daniel Politzer, who leads the Gaming & Lodging research team at J.P. Morgan. 

The influx of travelers is also set to augment the car rentals industry in host cities, especially those with a larger geographic footprint. “In suburban stadium markets, sprawling metros and cities with weaker transit options, rental cars become the natural default,” noted Rajat Gupta, head of the U.S. Autos equity research team at J.P. Morgan.

In addition, around one-third of international tourists plan to stay beyond two weeks, and around 80% intend to explore destinations beyond the largest gateway cities, as per data from the U.S. Travel Association. “This dynamic should skew rental demand toward multi-city, multi-week, premium-vehicle bookings, with a higher likelihood of attaching protection products, enabling rental car companies to secure elevated rates over longer durations,” Gupta said.

Similarly, rideshare stocks could experience a boost as fans seek convenient mobility options to and from stadiums. According to J.P. Morgan Global Research, gross bookings could rise by as much as $543 million during the tournament period. 

The tournament is projected to drive $5 billion of incremental global advertising spending as companies seek to capitalize on fan engagement, $4 billion of which could flow to digital channels. “With 2025 digital penetration estimated at around 73% of total ad spend, online advertising companies should drive the significant majority of World Cup ad spend,” noted Doug Anmuth, head of the U.S. Internet research team at J.P. Morgan.

Looking at other channels, national TV advertising inventory tied to World Cup telecasts in the U.S. is nearly sold out; in the same vein, out-of-home (OOH) inventory in and near host cities is heavily booked. “The World Cup should drive a cyclical boost for OOH players, but, perhaps more importantly, it provides a moment in time to bring new advertisers into the outdoor medium,” said David Karnovsky, head of the U.S. Media, Entertainment and Advertising research team at J.P. Morgan.

Sports retailers across the globe are expected to benefit from increased demand during the World Cup, and some have launched themed collections tied to the event.

“The World Cup brings incremental revenue to companies mostly via apparel sales, such as jerseys, and to a lesser extent, accessories such as balls,” said Chiara Battistini, head of the European Luxury and Sporting Goods research team at J.P. Morgan. “For the sector in general, we expect the tournament to boost interest and improve store traffic, and we continue to assess if it will bring more heat to football-inspired lifestyle products.”