Although the 2026 World Cup is still more than two years away and the announcement that the state would qualify for the final was made six weeks ago, excitement surrounding the tournament remains high. This was revealed in an unscientific and informal ROI-NJ poll held Tuesday at the New Jersey Business Summit & Expo in Atlantic City.
Nearly 2 in 3 people surveyed (64%) chose the news of New Jersey making it to the finals as the biggest news of 2024, well ahead of the other three options: Proposed corporate transportation. foundation (18%), the legal battle to end the “red line” (12%) and the First Lady's effort to win a U.S. Senate seat (6%).
And while appearing in the final (and the other seven matches of the World Cup) is good for exposure, hosting a major sporting event doesn't necessarily guarantee financial returns. Those surveyed believe this is the case.
When asked to rate how much their state would benefit on a scale of 1 (not much) to 5 (a lot), 70% of respondents answered either 4 or 5.
“If done correctly, this could be a huge accomplishment,” was the sentiment shared by many.
Interestingly, the response was not affected by this fact. Many people do not believe that their organization will personally benefit.
When asked whether their business or organization would benefit, almost half (48%) said “not all,” or 1 on a scale of 1 to 5.
Lauren LaRusso, New Jersey Chair of the New York/New Jersey Organizing Committee, told the crowd of approximately 900 people that one of the committee's main goals is to ensure that the entire state benefits from the event. He said it was the right thing to do.
LaRusso, a featured speaker on the “Investing in New Jersey” panel, said this event is about more than a few games and will have an impact on much more than just the Meadowlands and New York City areas. explained.
“Really, this is unique for New Jersey because we also host Philadelphia, and from a statewide perspective, a huge sporting event that has never been done before, South Jersey and Central “Because you can actually see the jersey 'before,'” she said. “We are focused on North Jersey and New York, as well as Central Jersey and South Jersey, to make the most of this opportunity.”
