BS Number Wise: Hosting the World Cup is no easy game for countries

Massive sporting tournaments burnish image of governments, but the bill comes in later

The expense and scrutiny associated with the football World Cup often sparks a debate on the merit of playing host.

Oil-rich Qatar, the current host, is 50th in football ranking despite the wealth of its citizens. While the correlation between wealth and football is limited, India has to make progress in both departments (chart 1).

Hosting the World Cup has its advantages. Five out of the last six hosts got more tourists in the year of the tournament (chart 2).

Research suggests that hosts usually lose money in major sporting events. Gigantic stadiums are often of little use after multinational events. Costs exceeded