WASHINGTON (June 8, 2026) – The FIFA World Cup kicks off this week, bringing millions of fans to North America. FIFA projects the tournament could generate billions of dollars in economic activity for host nations.
Lisa Delpy Neirotti, director of GW’s MS in Sport Management Program at the George Washington University School of Business, is available to discuss the business of the World Cup, including sponsorships and global sports marketing, tourism and economic impacts, fan engagement, ticketing, volunteer programs, and the tournament's long-term legacy. She can also speak to FIFA's diversity, inclusion and anti-discrimination efforts and how the organization has evolved over the course of her career studying mega sporting events.
The 2026 tournament marks Neirotti's seventh World Cup. She served on the Washington, D.C., host committee for the 1994 FIFA World Cup and has conducted research on spectator motivation, consumer behavior and fan satisfaction at the 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
If you would like to schedule an interview with Neirotti, please contact Claire Sabin at claire [dot] sabin
gwu [dot] edu (claire[dot]sabin[at]gwu[dot]edu).
-GW-