MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami-Dade County leaders touted the success of the FIFA World Cup as one of the host cities for the soccer tournament, saying the event brought more than 500,000 people to South Florida.
Seven of the 104 matches that took place during this year’s World Cup were held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, known as Miami Stadium during the event that welcomed hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe to the Sunshine State.
“If the World Cup really taught us all anything, it taught us ultimately that we’re all on the same team, and as a person who loves Miami, it’s really very emotional to say that we were certainly very much on the same teams,” said Alina Hudak, President and CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026 MIami Host Committee.
Several of those games featured some of the tournament’s biggest moments, including a nailbiter pitting Argentina against underdogs Cape Verde that went to extra time.
County leaders said FIFA Fan Festival, a fan showcase at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami, as a major hit, and they also singled out the way parks across the county transformed into gathering places where thousands united over their love of soccer.
Officials said that while the final economic impact is still being calculated, FIFA provided a major boost to local businesses, and they believe its long-term benefits will continue well after the final whistle was blown.
“So many businesses did record-breaking days and weeks thanks to World Cup, but it’s not just the short term it’s the long term,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
“We had a fantastic experience moving over 200,000 people on our game match shuttles, very exciting, and over 830,000 people on Metromover for our Fan Fest, and hope that we end up with some new patrons,” said Stacy Miller, CEO of the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works.
Organizers said they’re certain these local events resulted in many locals and visitors becoming new fútbol fans.
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