The update says travel spending in the US rose by 6.2% year on year in June, reaching $122.1 billion. Host cities reportedly benefited from summer demand and higher room rates during the tournament.
But the more important numbers sit underneath that headline:
That split is the real issue. Football created a short-term spike in spending, yet inbound demand still appears fragile.
For US tourism, the World Cup was always about more than matchdays. It was a stress test for visas, airports and border processing.
The report says officials are expected to point to faster visa handling, extra customs staffing and airport screening changes. A tournament-specific visa priority system also reportedly helped ticket holders. Those are practical wins if they prove sustainable.
The problem is that friction still appears to be deterring visitors. The report says the industry remains concerned about visa queues, tighter immigration rules, social-media checks and added costs for some international travellers. Big events can market a country. They cannot, on their own, remove barriers to entry.
The image of Spain lifting the trophy in New Jersey, as the report notes, was a showcase moment. Yet legacy is not built by a final alone. It is built by whether first-time visitors come back, whether airlines keep capacity high and whether hotels can convert one-off demand into repeat business.
The next phase is clear: watch what changes before the next major global events cycle, especially as attention starts to shift toward Los Angeles 2028 and another crucial summer for US inbound travel.