2026 World Cup Expected to Boost Canada's GDP by C$6.5 Billion
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 01 2026
0mins
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Economic Growth Outlook: According to a report from BMO Economics, the 2026 World Cup is expected to contribute up to C$6.5 billion in incremental quarterly GDP for Canada, primarily driven by tourism, hospitality, and consumer spending, with potential contributions of up to C$5 billion.
- Significant Tourism Benefits: The influx of international visitors is anticipated to boost demand for hotels, air travel, restaurants, and entertainment, particularly in host cities like Toronto and Vancouver, where early indicators showed a rise in accommodation bookings following the match draw, although recent data suggests demand has moderated.
- Short-term Economic Impact: BMO estimates that the tournament could lift Canada's quarterly GDP by approximately 0.1 percentage points, with incremental GDP comprising C$1–5 billion from tourism-related spending and C$0.5–1.5 billion from increased domestic consumption, especially in Ontario and British Columbia, where growth could be two to three times the national average.
- Employment Opportunities Boost: While these economic gains are temporary, a modest increase in employment is expected in tourism-facing sectors, reflecting a surge in demand during the event window rather than a lasting shift in Canada's economic fundamentals.
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Analyst Views on BMO
Wall Street analysts forecast BMO stock price to fall
10 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
8 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 169.840
Low
128.13
Averages
133.97
High
144.69
Current: 169.840
Low
128.13
Averages
133.97
High
144.69
About BMO
Bank of Montreal (the Bank) is a North American bank. The Bank provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services. The Bank serves about 13 million customers across North America, and in select markets globally, through three integrated operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking (P&C), BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets. The P&C operating group represents the sum of its two retail and commercial operating segments, Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking (Canadian P&C) and U.S. Personal and Commercial Banking (U.S. P&C). BMO Wealth Management serves a full range of clients, from individuals and families to business owners and institutions, offering a wide spectrum of wealth, asset management and insurance products and services. BMO Capital Markets offers a comprehensive range of products and services to corporate, institutional and government clients.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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See More
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- Investor Focus: As the trade data is released, investors and analysts will analyze the underlying trends to forecast future economic directions and potential policy adjustments.
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