The World Cup may expose something deeper than distracted employees and missed meetings: a workplace trust problem.
As millions of workers prepare to follow matches during office hours, employers are facing a familiar problem in a new form. The question is not only how much productivity will be lost. It is whether companies still understand how people actually work when global events collide with rigid schedules and exposed trust gaps.
A new survey from UKG estimates that the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted largely in the United States, could cost employers about $17 billion in lost productivity worldwide. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19 and will feature 48 nations across 104 games, making it the largest World Cup in history and the first to be played mostly on American soil.
The survey found that 37% of workers plan to adjust their schedules because of the tournament. Some may arrive late. Some may leave early. Some may call out. Others may stream highlights while pretending to work. That sounds like a problem for employers. It is. But it also raises a harder question for managers: why are so many workers preparing to bend the rules instead of simply asking for flexibility, and what does that say about trust?
The office clock may be the real opponent.
Employers often see major sports events as productivity threats. Workers see them differently. For many, the World Cup is a shared cultural moment, especially for employees with family ties, national roots, or deep emotional connections to the teams playing.
That does not erase the business cost. Work still has to get done. Customers still need service. Teams still need coverage. But the old solution of pretending nothing is happening may no longer work. In a workplace already shaped by remote work, flexible hours, hybrid schedules, and burnout, the World Cup becomes a stress test for company culture and trust.
If a worker can finish tasks early, trade shifts, or make up time later, strict office-hour rules may feel outdated. If managers refuse to offer any flexibility, some employees may choose to keep things secret. That is where the real cost begins.
Absenteeism is expensive, but resentment costs more.
The survey points to possible lost productivity, including missed work, late arrivals, early departures, and on-the-clock streaming. For American employers, the projected hit is especially large, with UKG estimating $11.7 billion in lost productivity, underscoring the event’s unique impact on U.S. workplaces this year.
Those numbers will get attention; they should.
Still, employers may lose more by mishandling the moment. A workplace that responds with suspicion may create tension, while a workplace that plans may protect morale and operations. That could mean staggered schedules. It could mean watching breaks for major matches. It could mean clearer rules around coverage, deadlines, and customer-facing roles.
The goal is not to turn every office into a fan zone. The goal is to reduce surprises.
Workers are more likely to respect boundaries when the boundaries feel realistic.
Managers are part of the story, too.
The survey also found that managers are not immune to the tournament’s pull. Many are likely to request time off or seek last-minute flexibility on their own.
That matters because it weakens the simple boss-versus-worker framing.
The World Cup is not only tempting rank-and-f