Khaberni - When the spotlights are turned on in a big stadium, it's not just the grass that shines; entire notebooks glow: flight reservations, work schedules, broadcasting contracts, and municipal budgets trying to look coherent in front of the world's cameras. Major tournaments — like the World Cup, the Olympics, and continental championships — are not just "two weeks of fun." They are a moment where entertainment meets real economy: hotel rooms sold, restaurants packed, and infrastructure projects sped up because the date is now on the global calendar.
But their impact is not a one-way magic. The numbers can delight or worry, depending on who pays and who collects, and whether the city has a plan for after the final match. Therefore, the question deserves to be asked without extra enthusiasm: Why are major tournaments important for the economy, and how do they transform from a temporary celebration to a lasting impact?
Before the starting whistle... The city enters a big tender
The economy starts years before the teams arrive. The hosting dossier means construction and renovation, security and transport, and extensive organization. In many cases, the tournament is used as a "respectable" excuse to expedite projects that would be delayed under normal circumstances: a station opens on time, a road is completed, or a stadium is redesigned to meet standards. This spending moves companies and services, but it also opens a discussion about priorities: Are facilities built to serve the residents after the event, or to serve the image at its peak?
Tourism on the beat of the schedule... Fans leave a cash impact
The most visible impact is visitor movement. Numbers show the scale of the influx: according to the attendance count on the tournament's Wikipedia page, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar hosted 3,404,252 spectators. At UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany, the statistics page on Wikipedia records an overall attendance of 2,681,288 spectators.
This crowd is not automatically translated into "wealth," but it translates into direct spending: local transportation, hotel nights, and daily purchases that typically don't enter export plans. The local economy also catches a secondary effect: a city appears on screens and later enters travel lists, even for those who did not originally attend. Here, the tournament becomes a long-lasting tourist advertisement if there is a plan to capitalize on it.
Broadcasting rights... Money that crosses borders faster than planes
The biggest impact sometimes comes not from the stands but from the screens. The "Football economics" page on Wikipedia notes that television broadcasting rights represent the largest share of FIFA's income, and the 2019–2022 cycle made $3,426 million from broadcast rights (45% of the cycle's revenues). This illustrates how the event turns into a "media product" sold globally, and how the tournament is linked to a market of ads, sponsorships, and digital coverage that precedes the game itself into every household.
The Olympics show a similar pattern: the International Olympic Committee page on Wikipedia mentions that revenues from 2013–2016 were about $5 billion, with 73% coming from broadcasting rights. When we understand these percentages, we see why technology and multi-platform broadcasting become the heart of the economic issue: the coverage not only transmits the race but also carries significant commercial value.
Temporary jobs... Then a service economy that breathes
During the tournament, job opportunities expand, albeit temporarily: organization, security, hospitality, transport, and media production. Many of these jobs are seasonal, but they reflect on the income of individuals and small companies in a short period. In cities with a strong events sector, "accumulated expertise" becomes part of the impact: teams capable of managing not just matches but also subsequent conferences and exhibitions. The problem arises when capabilities are built around one event and then left without an annual schedule, ending the income when the applause stops.
Organized betting and taxes also pay off for the state
In regulated markets, betting is not conducted on unclear or marginal fringes; it is a regulated sector subject to fees, licenses, and taxes. Taxes are typically imposed on the transaction itself, on the bet value/turnover, or on the total gaming revenues. The formulation may vary sometimes depending on local legislation. A notable example of "betting tax" is Germany, where a 5% tax has been imposed on sports betting since July 1, 2012. In the context of indirect betting taxes, "transaction taxes" are mentioned as tools for revenue collection and market regulation, which explains why licensed betting agents are required to pay taxes to the state within a specific legal framework. In this digital space, which gathers statistics, updates, and probabilities on a single screen, the tax framework is not limited to sports betting. In many countries, it also extends to digital chance games, such as keno. These games are treated within the same legal framework aimed at regulating the market, protecting users, and ensuring revenue for the state. In this context, some fans may turn to platforms like Keno Maroc as part of a parallel digital entertainment experience, while keeping a clear distinction between sports watching and making responsible financial decisions.
Infrastructure... What stays after the last whistle?
The real test begins after the event ends. Some infrastructure remains useful for decades, while some turn into maintenance burdens. Paris 2024 is "expected" to cost about 9 billion euros, according to Wikipedia. At the other end of the spectrum, the "Cost of hosting the tournament" section on the World Cup 2022 page lists debated estimates exceeding $220 billion, noting that this figure is disputed and that Qatari officials have provided different estimates, as much of it is also linked to broader infrastructure projects since the hosting was granted in 2010.
Thus, the economic value of the tournament is determined by a simple question: Was the investment aimed at the needs of the residents, or just to dazzle the moment? A stadium that can be repurposed for local use, and a transport line that serves neighborhoods daily, differ entirely from a facility that closes after the lenses turn off.
International reputation... and unavoidable local accountability
There is also the economy of reputation: the host country appears as an investment and tourism destination, and may attract other events. But reputation alone does not settle the bill. The "Economics of the FIFA World Cup" page on Wikipedia describes the economic impact results as "mixed," meaning that gains are not always guaranteed and that costs can be high compared to varying returns.
In the end, a major tournament is like a huge festival passing over the city: it can leave behind better streets, opportunities, and experience, or it can leave debts and empty facilities. The economy does not dislike sports, but it dislikes ambiguity. Thus, major tournaments become important when managed as a development plan for post-event, not just as one long night.
