Bangkok: If the World Cup isn't broadcast live, 9 billion baht will be lost from the economy. The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce revealed that if the 2026 FIFA World Cup is broadcast live, 68,635 million baht will circulate in the Thai economy. However, if the World Cup is not broadcast live, approximately 9 billion baht will be lost immediately due to the lack of economic activity.
According to Thai News Agency, Associate Professor Dr. Thanawat Pholvichai, President of the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce and advisor to the Center for Economic and Business Forecasting, and Ms. Umakamon Sunthornsura, Director of the Center for Economic and Business Forecasting, revealed the behavior and spending patterns, as well as the economic and social impact on Thailand during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They stated that the hype surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place from June 11th to July 19th, 2026, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is intensifying. Quantitatively, the 2022 World Cup featured 32 teams and 64 matches, all concentrated in Qatar. The 2026 World Cup, however, marks the first time in history that it will have 48 teams and 104 matches, spread across three major nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The significant aspect lies in the nearly doubled number of matches. This means a longer "supply chain" golden period for industries. Foo d, beverages, and sporting goods will have sustained sales for more than a month, and this momentum will have a significantly stronger positive impact on GDP than in 2022.
The Center for Economic and Business Forecasting at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce stated that if the 2026 FIFA World Cup is broadcast live, it will generate 68,635 million baht in economic activity. Of this amount, 47,574 million baht will come from gambling. However, if there is no live broadcast, the Thai economy will immediately lose 9,000 million baht due to the lack of economic activity. Without live broadcasts, the estimated economic impact would be around 57,660 million baht. The top five teams that Thais support are Spain, Brazil, France, Germany, and England. The top five teams predicted to win the championship are Spain, France, England, Germany, and Portugal.