FIFA may miss big Indian fan crowd this World Cup

Mumbai: Four years ago, India registered its vocal presence in the Qatar World Cup stands. This edition of the Greatest Show on Earth, however, might have a more circumspect Indian presence. Higher costs, visa hurdles and logistical complexities mean fewer desi soccer fans would travel Stateside to see their favourite stars in action on the turf.

To be sure, despite lower visitor numbers, overall spending by Indian fans is projected to rise significantly as affluent travellers opt for premium, hospitality-led experiences.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held across the US, Canada and Mexico, will feature 104 matches involving 48 teams across 16 host cities between 11 June and 19 July.

Qatar 2022 attracted more than one million visitors, with India emerging as the second-largest source market after Saudi Arabia during the group stage. According to FIFA, Saudi Arabia accounted for 77,106 visitors, followed by India (56,893), the US (36,236), the UK (30,719) and Mexico (25,533).

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Industry executives said Qatar represented an exceptional high-water mark for Indian attendance. Its proximity to India, easier visa norms, relatively lower costs, compact geography and the presence of a large Indian diaspora in the Gulf made travel significantly more accessible for fans.

Industry executives ET spoke with believe the number of Indian soccer fans could fall to around 20,000 for the 2026 edition. These include bookings made through tour operators, travel agents and private arrangements. That would mark a decline of nearly two-thirds from Qatar. "Overall travel from India to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be lower than Qatar due to a combination of factors, including geopolitical uncertainty, high airfares, expensive match tickets and complex visa processes for the US and Canada. Unlike Qatar, this is a multi-country event requiring multiple approvals, making travel more cumbersome and costly," said Mayank Khandwala, founder of Cutting Edge Events.

Khandwala added that limited promotional activity around tournament in India by FIFA and host nations could dent numbers.

Travel executives said airfare costs, expensive accommodation in North American cities, visa requirements and the logistical challenge of travelling across three countries are likely to discourage middle-income fans who had travelled to Qatar.

Yet, lower volumes wouldn't mean a smaller market. Sports hospitality executives said the 2026 edition is expected to skew toward affluent travellers seeking curated, end-to-end experiences rather than simply access to matches, helping offset the decline in visitor numbers.