Luke Powis, Head of Crisis Management at Aviva discusses the critical role of insurance in the safe and successful delivery of the 2026 World Cup.
Summer 2026 is bringing the biggest ever edition of the FIFA World Cup, with 48 teams playing 104 games over the span of six weeks. Taking place across 16 cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, this year’s World Cup is expected to hit around $11bn in economic value. This high-scale event therefore comes with a significant number of risks, which subsequently find themselves in the insurance market as stakeholders look to protect their investment.
In today’s changing world, a multitude of factors are increasing the risk the World Cup poses to interested parties.
With the value of large-scale events increasing all the time, the demand for insurance has risen too, particularly for Crisis Management products.
Whether this rising demand is driven by a volatile economic environment, the need for event success post-Covid or other factors, it's a key issue in the insurance market right now.
Contingency market
The contingency market can play a crucial role in the successful delivery of high-profile events such as the World Cup, providing event cancellation cover which protects stakeholders including organisers, broadcasters and sponsors from potential loss of revenue should the event be affected by one of several risks.
The location of large-scale events is one of the most significant factors that influences the level of risk posed to contingency insurers. With the 2026 World Cup set to take place across North America, an increasing pattern of extreme weather could present a significant safety concern. Conditions such as heavy rain, high winds, electrical storms or even excessive heat has the potential to create serious safety issues for both players and spectators. Similar challenges were seen at last year’s Club World Cup, where excessive heat led to multiple disruptions throughout the tournament.
The threat of natural catastrophes in this region is also a substantial risk to insurers, with many of the matches being played in established hurricane and earthquake zones. These perils have the potential to cause event cancellation, abandonment, postponement, interruption, relocation or curtailment. For contingency underwriters at Aviva and beyond, incorporating both natural catastrophe and adverse‑weather considerations is therefore essential in accurately evaluating exposure and making sure there's suitable coverage for global events such as the World Cup.
Accident and Health (A&H) market
The sports market reports that football player transfer prices have increased by around 116% in the last 10 years – and as player values increase, so too does the risk of financial impact to teams if a player gets injured. The A&H market – and specifically its sports books – has tracked this rise over the last decade and is now, more than ever, a key part of providing the security needed for teams and their players taking part in the World Cup. Offering insurance options covering career-ending injuries or illnesses, as well as accidental death, the A&H market enables clubs to transfer significant financial exposure, while also allowing players to safeguard their future earning potential through their own benefit cover.
In addition to protecting teams and players, the A&H market plays a vital role in supporting the millions of fans who will travel to and from large-scale events. Around six million supporters are expected at the 2026 World Cup – with roughly 70% crossing international borders – making appropriate cover for medical issues, travel disruption and lost baggage essential.
Taken together, rising player valuations and unprecedented fan travel volumes intensify the accumulation challenge for insurers. With World Cup squads formed from players representing multiple clubs, and millions of supporters moving between venues, appropriate aggregate management is critical as underwriters must consider accumulation of risk whether on the pitch, in the air or on the road.
Political, Violence and Terrorism (PVT) market
The PVT market is playing an increasingly crucial role in facilitating major global events such as the World Cup, particularly given the heightened geopolitical volatility seen worldwide. In this environment, PVT insurance is needed more than ever to provide stability and financial protection against a range of hostile risks, such as terrorism, strikes, riots, civil commotion, malicious acts, active-assailant and business interruption incidents.
Due to the current politically polarised climate in the US, the insurance market has seen an increased demand for risk transfer solutions surrounding the 2026 World Cup, from stadium owners, event organisers, local authorities or neighbouring businesses. These policies can address property damage, business interruption, public liability exposures, and the broader impact that disorder or targeted attacks could have on the successful delivery of World Cup fixtures. As civil unrest around sporting events becomes more common globally, the PVT market provides essential protection to guarantee resilience, continuity, and confidence for stakeholders throughout the 2026 tournament.
Insurance as the linchpin for a successful World Cup
Ultimately, insurance underpins the safe, successful and lower-risk delivery of large-scale events such as the FIFA 2026 World Cup. As the size and complexity of events like this continues to grow, the need for robust and tailored insurance solutions also increases.
Insurers must stay agile to keep pace with a constantly changing external environment – from volatile weather patterns and political unrest to other emerging global risks. While Contingency, A&H and PVT should not be the only consideration of insurers, they play a crucial role in the delivery of the tournament by reducing uncertainty, strengthening preparedness and supporting stakeholders in navigating an increasingly complex risk landscape.