The 2026 FIFA World Cup could bring more than football excitement. A new survey suggests it may also create challenges for employers as millions of workers plan to adjust their schedules during the tournament.
Research published by UKG on Tuesday estimated that the World Cup could cost employers around $17 billion in lost productivity worldwide. The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
According to the survey, 37 percent of employees plan to change their work schedules because of the competition. Around 27 percent said they may arrive late, leave work early or miss work completely to follow the matches.
The survey also found that 14 percent of workers expect to watch games or highlights secretly during work hours. Another 11 percent admitted they could be working while dealing with a hangover after following World Cup action.
UKG, which provides human resources and workforce management services, surveyed 8,000 employees in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
This year’s World Cup will be the biggest in history. The tournament will feature 48 teams and 104 matches.
The study estimated that the United States could face the largest productivity loss at about $11.7 billion. Germany ranked second with an estimated loss of $1.34 billion.
Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at UKG, warned that widespread absenteeism could have a major effect on businesses.
“When absenteeism and presenteeism hit at scale, the effect is immediate and expensive,” Vittal said. “Productivity drops, customer experience suffers, and morale takes a hit as the rest of the team is left to cover the gaps.”
Managers are also expected to be affected by World Cup fever. The survey found that 42 percent of managers would likely plan a day off to follow matches, while 45 percent could ask for flexible work arrangements at short notice.
