Spending increases in the UAE during the “World Cup”

Visa, the global company specialized in the field of digital payments, and the official payment technology partner for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, issued new data that sheds light on spending patterns in the UAE during the tournament’s competitions.

An analysis conducted by Visa Consulting & Analytics shows an increase in spending using Visa consumer cards in a number of sectors, including digital broadcasting services, sports products, food delivery, and dining experiences in restaurants, during the group stage and 32nd round of the tournament, in the period from June 11 to July 4.

With the start of the tournament, spending on television broadcast services and digital platforms witnessed a daily increase of 42% during the period from June 10 to 23, compared to the previous period. Visa also observed an increase in demand for sports products during the first days of the tournament, as online spending on sporting goods and supplies increased by 24% during the first week of competitions, compared to the previous period.
As the tournament progressed and reached the final weekend of the group stage, during the period from June 26 to 28, spending on fast food delivery services increased by 12% compared to the same weekend of the previous month.

At the same time, spending on dining inside restaurants during the week increased by 16% during the round of 32 competitions, especially during the period from June 30 to July 2, as the decisive matches in the knockout rounds contributed to promoting social gatherings and fan meetings in the middle of the week.

Nicholas Khoury, Senior Vice President and Head of Visa Consulting & Analytics for the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) region, said: “As the official payment technology partner of the tournament, we are proud of our role in enhancing these moments, and supporting the contribution of digital payment solutions in connecting audiences around the world, driving the economy, and enhancing growth opportunities for merchants and companies.”