New research suggests World Cup 2026 could cost employers up to US$17 billion in lost productivity as workers adjust schedules, watch matches during working hours and seek greater flexibility.
While fans around the world focus on the action on the pitch, employers may already be facing one of the tournament’s less visible impacts – workforce disruption. Research from workforce management company UKG estimates that World Cup 2026 could contribute to as much as US$17 billion in lost productivity globally and US$11.7 billion in the United States alone, as employees adjust schedules, take time off, stream matches during working hours and prioritise football alongside their professional responsibilities.
The figures come from UKG’s survey of 8,000 employees across Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. The study suggests the World Cup could become one of the largest workforce planning challenges employers have faced in recent years. According to the research:
- 37% of employees plan to adjust their work schedules because of the tournament.
- 27% expect to miss work by arriving late, leaving early or skipping work altogether.
- 22% expect to work while tired or exhausted.
- 11% admit they may work while hungover.
- 26% say they plan to push the limits of what their manager will tolerate, including secretly streaming matches during working hours.
WORLD CUP IMPACT ON WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY
According to the research, the estimated impact of the World Cup on workplace productivity varies significantly by country:
| Country | Estimated Productivity Loss |
|---|---|
| Australia | US$653 million |
| Canada | US$479 million |
| France | US$749 million |
| Germany | US$1.34 billion |
| Mexico | US$369 million |
| Netherlands | US$388 million |
| United Kingdom | US$912 million |
| United States | US$11.7 billion |
The findings come as fans across multiple time zones begin following the tournament, creating challenges for employers managing shift patterns, customer-facing teams and hybrid workforces. While some organisations are embracing flexibility, others may face increased absenteeism, presenteeism and scheduling pressures as the competition progresses.
“What makes the World Cup so relevant is that it reflects a challenge that organisations face every day: work changes by the hour in frontline-heavy organisations, and static planning creates an execution gap,” said Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at UKG. “The World Cup is more than a global cultural event people want to be part of. It is a real workforce planning test that can strain performance, productivity, communication, and even retention if it is not proactively managed.”
BALANCING PRODUCTIVITY WITH EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
The survey suggests employers could face consequences beyond lost productivity. Nearly 40% of employees said they do not believe their employer will care about the World Cup, while 19% said they would consider looking for another job if work schedules negatively affected their World Cup experience.
Managers themselves appear likely to seek flexibility:
- 42% plan to take time off.
- 50% expect to request schedule changes in advance.
- 45% expect to seek last-minute flexibility.
This suggests the challenge is not simply about frontline employees. Managers may be facing the same tensions between work responsibilities and major cultural events. In an era where employee expectations around flexibility continue to evolve, the findings raise broader questions about how organisations balance productivity with employee engagement and wellbeing.
GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS
Rather than treating the World Cup solely as a productivity problem, workplace experts increasingly argue that organisations should view it as a test of workforce flexibility.
1. Plan ahead
Publish schedules early and identify periods of peak match interest.
2. Offer controlled flexibility
Allow shift swaps, flexible start times or adjusted lunch breaks where operationally possible.
3. Communicate expectations clearly
Employees are more likely to respect boundaries when expectations are transparent and consistent.
4. Focus on outcomes, not presence
Where appropriate, evaluate productivity through results rather than time spent at a desk.
5. Use technology to plan and respond in real time
Labour planning and workforce management tools can help organisations respond more quickly to changing staffing requirements.
“When absenteeism and presenteeism hit at scale, the effect is immediate and expensive. Productivity drops, customer experience suffers, and morale takes a hit as the rest of the team is left to cover the gaps,” said Vittal. “Leaders with frontline teams need to plan today with the ability to manage disruption quickly, adapt coverage in real time, and use flexibility as a strategy to protect both employee trust and the bottom line.”
WORKPLACE IMPACT OF WORLD CUP
The workplace impact of the World Cup is emerging alongside wider debates surrounding the tournament, including questions around sponsorship, sustainability and corporate responsibility. Fair Play Talks, for example, recently reported on growing calls for FIFA to review its long-standing partnership with Coca-Cola as the competition gets underway.
While the World Cup lasts only 39 days, the workplace lessons may endure far longer. As organisations continue to navigate hybrid work, employee wellbeing and rising expectations around flexibility, the tournament may become one of the largest real-world tests of modern workforce management. The question for employers is no longer whether disruption will occur, but how effectively they respond when it does.
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