As the 2022 World Cup in Qatar draws closer, there is increasing interest in the insight and data surrounding this global event, the countries that have hosted it, and what it has meant overall for host countries.

This report contributes to this discussion by reviewing comparative statistics that can serve to inform, update, and enrich the discussion around World Cup hosting and its importance for host countries.

We focus on case study experiences from Brazil (a developing country host), Germany (a developed nation host) and Japan/South Korea’s joint hosting of the event in 2002 (in light of the multi-nation World Cup 2026 hosting and the collaborative bids put up for the World Cup 2030).

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