Visa analysis: UAE spending surges on streaming, sports and food during FIFA World Cup 2026
Visa analysis finds UAE spending rose across streaming, sports goods, food delivery and restaurants during FIFA World Cup 2026, boosting digital payments.
The UAE recorded notable increases in consumer spending during the early stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to new data from Visa Consulting & Analytics. The analysis, covering key match windows between June 10 and July 4, shows rises across digital streaming, sports merchandise, food delivery and restaurant dining. Visa’s findings highlight how the tournament prompted shifts in daily and weekend spending patterns across the country.
Visa data shows overall uplift in card spending
Visa Consulting & Analytics analysed transaction trends in the UAE during the group stage and the round of 32, comparing activity to preceding periods. The report identified sector-specific jumps that coincided with match days and decisive fixtures. Overall, Visa says these shifts reflect the interplay between live sport, digital services and social dining that characterises football tournaments.
Streaming and digital platforms saw the biggest daily spike
Spending on television and digital streaming services climbed sharply when matches began, with Visa reporting a 42% daily increase between June 10 and June 23 compared with the prior period. Consumers turned to paid streaming and broadcast platforms to follow fixtures, driving higher card-based payments for subscriptions and pay-per-view services. This surge underlines the importance of digital access as a primary channel for audiences during major sporting events.
Sports merchandise sales rose in the tournament’s opening week
E-commerce purchases of sporting goods and related merchandise showed a clear lift in the tournament’s first week, with online spending on sports items up 24% versus the period before the Cup. Fans bought jerseys, equipment and team-branded items as interest peaked around opening matches. Retailers that stock licensed merchandise and clubs that offered online channels benefited from the early momentum.
Food delivery grew on the final group-stage weekend
The data reveals a weekend uplift in on-demand food delivery during the closing days of the group stage. Between June 26 and June 28, delivery spending climbed by 12% compared with the equivalent weekend in the previous month. The spike aligns with heightened at-home viewing and small-group watch parties, where convenience became a priority for fans hosting match gatherings.
Weekday restaurant activity rose during round-of-32 matches
Restaurants experienced a notable midweek increase in dine-in spending during the round of 32, particularly between June 30 and July 2, when Visa recorded a 16% rise in weekday restaurant transactions. Crucial knockout fixtures encouraged fans to gather in hospitality venues, pushing up midweek footfall and average bills. The pattern suggests that knockout-stage drama can shift socialising out of homes and into public venues even on workdays.
Business and policy implications for merchants and payments providers
Visa’s analysis points to tangible opportunities for merchants, hospitality operators and digital platforms to capitalise on major sporting events. Payment flows during the Cup favoured digital card transactions and online channels, reinforcing the case for merchants to support seamless, contactless and mobile-friendly payment options. Nicolas Khoury, senior Visa executive leading consulting and analytics for CEMEA, said Visa’s role as the tournament’s official payment technology partner helps enable those transactions and supports merchant growth during peak periods.
Consumers’ behaviour during the tournament also provides a short-term revenue boost and longer-term insights into delivery, dining and digital-service demand cycles. Retailers and restaurants that adapted inventory, staffing and digital marketing around match schedules reported better alignment with customer needs, according to the analysis. Likewise, streaming platforms that promoted festival-style packages or match bundles captured elevated interest during key windows.
The findings underline how large sporting events reconfigure spending patterns across multiple sectors, with measurable uplifts in both e-commerce and physical venues. For policymakers and business groups, the data offers evidence of the wider economic ripple effects that televised international sport can generate.
Looking ahead, merchants and payments partners are expected to use the World Cup insights to refine promotional calendars, staffing models and payment infrastructure before the next major televised event. The UAE’s mix of high digital penetration and vibrant hospitality options makes it a particularly dynamic market for such tournament-driven shifts, and the Visa analysis provides a template for anticipating where consumer spend is likely to flow during future sporting peaks.