Watching the game with friends in the backyard? Cheering along at your favorite bar? Or maybe celebrating together with hundreds of other fans at a public viewing event?
When millions of fans cheer on their teams together during the 2026 World Cup, numerous public viewing hotspots will spring up in cities and towns. But which locations are actually suitable for events of this magnitude?
Unlike past World Cups, the circumstances this time around are somewhat unusual. Because the tournament is being held in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, many games are taking place at unusual times (often not starting until 10:00 p.m.). Large public viewing events will therefore likely take place only at select locations that have the necessary potential and suitable conditions to turn them into a real event.
But how can you tell if a location is suitable for a public viewing event?
The answer doesn't lie solely in a large open space or a video screen. Factors such as accessibility, catchment area, and visitor potential are crucial. Only the combination of these criteria reveals whether a location has what it takes to attract large numbers of people.
Only when accessibility, target audience potential, and catchment area align does a site become a successful location.
A location with many favorable conditions
A prime example is the Arena auf Ewald in Herten. With a capacity of up to 10,000 spectators, it is considered the largest venue of its kind in North Rhine-Westphalia. The former coal mine site in the heart of the Ruhr region offers spacious event areas while being located outside of densely populated residential areas. This provides ideal conditions for larger events, such as a public viewing of the World Cup.
Added to this is its convenient location near the A2 highway. Visitors can reach the venue quickly and easily from numerous cities in the Ruhr region—an important factor for any event with a regional catchment area.
Are size and accessibility alone enough for
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A look at the data on the map suggests great potential: More than 160,000 people live within a five-kilometer radius of the arena in Ewald. Of these, over 100,000 are between the ages of 15 and 59—precisely the target group that typically shows a heightened interest in sporting events and public viewings.
The catchment area is a deciding factor—but not the only one
So the key question to ask first is: Are there enough potential visitors who can easily reach the location?
However, other factors also play an important role. One of them is almost self-evident in this example: the region’s passion for soccer. With FC Schalke 04 and the Veltins-Arena right nearby, soccer has been part of the identity of many people in the Ruhr region for decades. At first glance, this appears to be a clear locational advantage for a public viewing event during the 2026 World Cup.
But this is exactly where the actual location analysis begins.
The relevant factors aren’t always obvious. What characteristics actually make a location attractive? Is it its proximity to the soccer club, the age structure of the population, or its good accessibility? Or are there factors that, at first glance, seem hardly related to a location’s success but actually have a decisive influence?
Recognizing Connections
Only by linking different data sources can such phenomena and their interrelationships be identified.
Location analyses help identify correlations, test assumptions, and objectively assess potential. While proximity to Schalke is an obvious factor in this example, for many other issues, it is only through the analysis of various data that we can determine which criteria are truly decisive.
That is exactly why it is worth basing location decisions on a broad data set. After all, successful locations rarely result from a single factor—but rather from the interplay of many characteristics.
Nexiga offers world-classmarket data tailored precisely to your individual needs. Our market data includes over 500 attributes, broken down to the level of individual houses, official administrative areas, postal codes, or custom geographic areas (geodata). We consistently ensure the high quality and timeliness of our data.
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Successful locations rarely result from a single factor—but rather from the interplay of many data points.
Site Evaluation—But How?
From Momentum to a Long-Term Location Strategy
The 2026 World Cup provides a clear example. After all, the same analyses and questions are used every day for numerous other location decisions.
The example of public viewings illustrates the questions that event organizers, local governments, and companies almost always have to ask themselves:
- How many people live in the catchment area?
- Which target audiences can be reached?
- How accessible is the location?
- What is the potential visitor numbers?
- Which locations offer the best conditions for the product?
The answers to these questions often determine whether a location is successful or not.
Companies often use these criteria to evaluate new store locations, plan expansions, analyze sales territories, or identify regions with market potential.
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A Brief Overview of Location Planning: The combination of the right market data, geographic data, company data, competitor data, and foot traffic data from Nexiga helps you analyze catchment areas, evaluate target audiences, and identify opportunities—whether you’re planning a public viewing event, selecting a new store location, or expanding into new markets.
Local governments use this information to better assess infrastructure projects, event venues, or economic development opportunities.
24.06.2026
Jochen Wetzel has been part of the Nexiga team for more than 25 years and is one of the most experienced experts in site and regional planning as well as location intelligence. He advises companies across a wide range of industries on strategic issues related to site analysis, competitive analysis, and data-driven decision-making.
