The World Cup economy, how Hormuz is rewiring global trade, data practices shaping financial supervision - these are the stories covered in this issue of the World Economic Forum’s 3 Economic Trends newsletter, your guide to equitable growth, markets and economic policy in an ever-changing world.
1. The World Cup #economy: Sport as social infrastructure The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off on 11 June and could generate up to $40.9 billion in global GDP and 824,000 jobs.  FIFA World Cup 2026 socioeconomic impact analysis. Yet the so-called "Trump slump", inflation fears and high ticket prices are dampening US tourism, with hotel rates down a third in host cities. The bigger picture is more optimistic. A World Economic Forum report projects the global sports economy could reach $8.8 trillion by 2050. The evidence from Barcelona's 1992 Olympics and Wrexham's Hollywood-powered revival is clear: sport is not mere entertainment - it is social infrastructure, capable of transforming entire cities when the conditions are right. Read the article in full here.
2. After Hormuz: How the Gulf crisis is rewiring global #trade The Strait of Hormuz normally carries 20 million barrels of oil per day. Today, ship crossings have collapsed and the consequences are cascading. Saudi Arabia has maxed out its East-West Pipeline to 7 million bpd; the UAE is routing 1.5 million bpd via the Arabian Sea.  But energy is only part of the story. The Strait handles a third of seaborne fertilizer trade, and grain carriers now face 40-day Panama Canal waits, with some freight rates up over 50%. ... | 
