What comes with hosting major sporting events in a country?

• Holding major sports events in a country gives the world a window into that country
• It also gives room for potential investors
• The money spent on hosting builds the capacity for that country’s economy to expand

While hosting major sporting events like the World Cup or the AFCON comes with economic benefits which in the long run benefit the citizens of the country, there are also shortcomings of being the host, as well as social benefits that we will see in our context.

Well, in most cases, some commodities may seem overrated but that is expected due to the large number of fans who will have travelled to come to watch the games. On the other hand, due to the large crowds, some people tend to keep away from the hosting country and watch the games online to avoid crowds, traffic and overrated prices of essentials like accommodation, food and transport. However, this is expected since the demand for such services could be higher than the supply.

Huge international sporting events bridge societal divides and bring people together across borders, also encouraging the upcoming athletes to take up the sport.

Economic Benefits of Hosting Major Sporting Events

To begin with, the infrastructure system of the hosting country must be perfect and this is an open door to various economic activities within the region. The major beneficiaries of much are the hospitality industries, the hotels especially those with accommodation.

Most hotels in a hosting country usually are newly built before the tournaments or just renovated. This creates room for the journalists and fans around the world who come to watch the live games. Again, this calls for prior reservations and in case one fails to, wherever he/she gets accommodation the price might be higher.

AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast. Photo/The East African

When it comes to foodstuff, the prices might also be higher than usual as the rate of consumption tends to go higher and the supply is also very constant to meet the demand level, which is also a job creation strategy in the long run.

The health sector is not left out as they also have several patients who visit their facilities, some because of weather-related issues or reactions from different types of food. 

The visiting fans also act as local tourists as most of them would want to visit different places in the country to see the physical features, the animals, heritage and other things which also is a means of revenue collection.

If we are to have an overview of the economic benefits, there are so many but the major one is, that it is likely to attract foreign investors. There is also a very high chance of the neighbouring countries benefiting from the tournaments.

The investments before the tournament also help in creating job opportunities for the people in the region like, The construction of hotels, roads and the like requires manpower which is an opportunity.

Disadvantages of Hosting Major Sporting Events

One of the main disadvantages of a country hosting major tournaments like the World Cup or AFCON is the conditions imposed by the bodies to be chosen as a host. The conditions can have long-term impacts on areas such as the infrastructure and the economy.

Moreover, some host countries may experience an increase in government debt due to large-scale investments in infrastructure though, the investment could lead to better infrastructure in the future which can ultimately benefit future generations.

Ivory Coast hosts 2024 AFCON. Photo/Reuters

The other disadvantage is that though there are jobs created, they end up being short-term which may have little or no progression on long-term economic benefits.

Social Benefits of hosting major sporting events

Hosting major tournaments of this scale may encourage future events to be held in the country, which in return may contribute to the creation of further jobs and the improvement of existing infrastructure.

Due to interaction between different tribes and races, they can borrow each other’s culture or heritage and that may also come with intermarriages from different tribes.