What the FIFA World Cup Means for Florida's Commercial Market

Miami’s global profile as a sports destination is rising, with the city gearing up to host seven FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in June and July. Along with other major athletic events this year, the games are poised to drive unprecedented global attention to South Florida, as well as significant real estate demand from visitors and businesses.

While soccer fans are buying jerseys and making travel plans, commercial agents are busy trying to capture elevated demand for space.

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), soccer’s international governing body, projects that the games will have a local economic impact of up to $1.5 billion. The matches are expected to draw 600,000 to 1 million visitors, an influx that will benefit the hospitality, transportation, food service and retail sectors, while spotlighting Miami as a global tourist destination and economic hub.

The World Cup is a “catalyst for long-term investment,” according to Dustin Ballard, South Florida market leader at Colliers International. “For commercial agents, this means opportunities to engage with international investors seeking office, retail and hospitality assets.”

“When people are here for the game, other things happen,” says Suzanne Amaducci, chair of real estate and finance for Bilzin Sumberg, which is lead outside counsel to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee. Some World Cup sponsors decide to do business in Miami after seeing the opportunities the city offers, she says. “Miami might not be their primary market, but we see expansion.”

Offices, warehouses and stadiums

Switzerland-based FIFA itself has contributed to local real estate demand by opening a 60,000-square-foot office in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables, according to Colliers International. In 2024, the organization leased another 15,000 square feet in the same building and announced it would permanently move its entire legal and compliance division from Zurich.

The World Cup’s Miami Host Committee also leased office space well in advance of the games, Amaducci notes. The new offices are part of a wave of real estate activity generated by Miami’s rise as a sports destination, including FC Barcelona’s decision last year to relocate its U.S. commercial operations from New York to downtown Miami.

Major sporting events also boost logistics demand as organizers need to store equipment, apparel, merchandise and promotional materials. Amaducci, who also sits on the host committee for the College Football Playoff National Championship, was involved in securing warehousing space two years before that game.

“There are so many different things that come with an event like this, that they need a tremendous amount of warehouse space,” she says. “They do it in advance of the game, and then they’ll have it for a certain period of time after the game.”

Beyond leasing, the most notable impact of large-scale sporting events is the way they transform the urban landscape with new developments and infrastructure investments. While the Miami games won’t require major new infrastructure, Miami-Dade County’s $46 million commitment to support the World Cup includes facility upgrades and staffing support at Hard Rock Stadium, the 65,000-seat venue that will host the games.

Miami’s selection as one of the host cities for the World Cup also prompted soccer club Inter Miami to build a new stadium, dubbed Miami Freedom Park, that will seat 25,000 people. Scheduled to open this spring, the downtown facility will include a 58-acre public park, entertainment outlets, restaurants and bars. Separately, the Argentine Football Association is building a U.S. headquarters and training facility in Miami-Dade County’s North Bay Village.

Retail engine chugs along

South Florida will host nearly a dozen major international sporting events this year, including the World Baseball Classic, the Miami Open and the PGA Tour, which will further boost the region’s potential economic windfall. The flurry of athletic events translates to tourism dollars and greater demand for the city’s hotel rooms, restaurants and retail shops.

“We see this same kind of huge jump with other events,” says Zach Winkler, who leads JLL’s South Florida retail brokerage, citing the Formula One Miami Grand Prix that happens every May and Art Basel, which takes place in December.

Winkler noted that sports enthusiasts visiting Miami tend to stay in hotels across the metro area, rather than adjacent to the stadium hosting the game. As a result, visitors spend time exploring different retail environments, whether in Fort Lauderdale, South Beach or Brickell.

“Miami really has cemented itself as a world city where events like this happen,” he says. “This just adds to the multitude of reasons that people are looking at doing more deals in Miami.”

“Oftentimes, Miami is now the first market of entry for international tenants coming to the United States,” displacing cities such as New York and Los Angeles, he says. Miami is now on par with New York in terms of attracting interest from European brands and remains top-of-mind for Latin American brands seeking an entry point into the U.S., he added.

Success tactics

With the World Cup funneling massive attention and global dollars into the state, commercial agents have a rare opportunity to capture international tenants, investors, partnerships and redevelopment deals—but they need to be proactive.

John Crossman, president of Florida-based CrossMarc Services, recommends that commercial agents create a target list of prospective clients and work to get them to the event. “Preparation is key and making sure they fully understand the opportunity. This is where storytelling and local market knowledge is critical,” he notes.

A broker who is marketing a retail space on Lincoln Road, Miami Beach’s shopping district, might start by comparing the local brand mix to that of other well-known high streets around the world, says Winkler. Make a list of brands that are present on other global high streets but missing on Lincoln Road, consider why they’re not present, and begin proactively targeting them.

“You just have to be in the right place at the right time to meet the right person,” says Amaducci. “Associated with all these events, there are parties and fan fests and all sorts of different celebrations,” such as private concerts, 5K runs and days of service.

“If I’m a commercial agent, I’m tapping into the sponsors,” Amaducci adds. “For Orange Bowls, Capital One is a big sponsor. Dr Pepper is a big sponsor. You have all these big companies flying in their top executives for these games, and they fly in their best clients for these games.”

“You have a whole interesting group of people that you probably wouldn’t get in front of if you call their office. Could you meet them at a party? Absolutely.”

Long after the final whistle blows, the World Cup’s impact will linger in Florida’s commercial landscape, reshaping how global brands, investors and tenants view the market. For commercial agents who plan ahead, build the right relationships and show up where business conversations happen; the real win may come well after the trophy is lifted. #

Greg Issacson is an Orlando-based freelance writer.