More than a quarter of employees surveyed said they expect to arrive late, leave early or miss work to follow the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup may be a win for soccer fans, but a new survey suggests it could become a costly challenge for employers.
Workforce management company UKG estimates the tournament could lead to at least $17 billion in lost productivity worldwide, including about $11.7 billion in the United States, as employees take time off, stream matches at work and adjust schedules to watch games.
The survey of 8,000 workers across eight countries found that 37% of employees globally plan to change their work schedules during the tournament, while 27% said they are likely to miss work by arriving late, leaving early or skipping shifts entirely.
The FIFA World Cup is scheduled to run for 39 days and will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
According to the survey, employees are also anticipating other workplace disruptions tied to the tournament, with 14% of workers sharing they plan to secretly stream games or highlights while on the clock. Another 22% expect to work while tired or exhausted during the tournament, and 11% admitted they may show up to work hungover.
“What makes the World Cup so relevant is that it reflects a challenge that organizations face every day: work changes by the hour in frontline-heavy organizations, and static planning creates an execution gap,” UKG Chief Product Officer Suresh Vittal said in a statement.
Among the countries surveyed, Germany was estimated to face about $1.34 billion in productivity losses tied to the tournament, while the United Kingdom could see roughly $912 million in losses. Australia, Canada, France, Mexico and the Netherlands were also included in the study.
The research also suggested the World Cup could create retention concerns for employers. Nearly 1 in 5 employees surveyed said they would consider searching for a new job if their work schedule negatively affected their ability to follow the tournament.
Managers themselves may also contribute to scheduling challenges. Compared with non-managers, supervisors were significantly more likely to request time off or ask for schedule flexibility during the World Cup, according to the survey.