The World Indoor Athletics Championships are now over, and the regional budget is poorer by more than 20 million PLN (in terms of current expenses). But did it ultimately pay off? In the regional media space, no one seemed willing to even ask this question—possibly influenced by the fact that in 2025 alone, the Marshal’s Office spent 5.7 million PLN on cooperation with media outlets, which may have limited critical coverage.

The championships in Toruń were not the first held in Poland—Sopot hosted them in 2014. Some elements of the Sopot arena were later transferred to Toruń. From the perspective of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, however, this was by far the largest event, which also translates into significantly higher local contribution costs. Compared to the 2019 European Team Championships at Zawisza Stadium—which may evoke positive memories due to Poland’s victory—the cost difference is enormous.

Compared to events organized in Bydgoszcz, the World Indoor Championships are a much larger undertaking, and therefore far more expensive. They also carry greater prestige, although they are not among the very top-tier events in terms of global ranking. Outdoor world championships are significantly more prestigious, but their costs can be roughly ten times higher. The championships in Tokyo may have cost over 200 million PLN.

Prestige won’t put food on the table

According to the organizers’ final press conference, around 700 athletes were expected, which—with accompanying persons—amounts to about 1,500 visitors. Assuming each of them spends as much as 1,500 PLN (a fairly generous estimate), this would generate around 2.2 million PLN in economic return, mainly for Toruń. Experts in estimating benefits note that sports visitors often displace other tourists, so the net gain of “new money” is typically assumed at around 50% in an optimistic scenario. This means the local economy may ultimately gain even less.

The Scottish Tourism Alliance estimated that Glasgow, which hosted the same event the previous year, saw a 20% increase in overnight stays compared to 2023. However, tourist spending rose by only 1.9% year-on-year. That said, the scale is different—Glasgow typically receives more than twice as many visitors as Toruń. This may mean that while the percentage growth in Toruń could be higher, the absolute figures will still be smaller.

The regional government’s approach is based largely on prestige and the promotional value of the event. However, publicity alone does not guarantee economic success.

Researchers less enthusiastic than politicians

The question of whether large sporting events are economically worthwhile for host cities has been explored by researchers. A 2016 study by Douglas Barrios, Stuart Russell, and Matt Andrews expresses notable skepticism: “In general, it appears that the broader question facing policymakers is whether mega-events are the right channel through which to pursue these various policy objectives. Ultimately, we believe that making progress in these determinations should have important implications for key stakeholders. Namely, potential hosts of mega-events should be more cautious and more diligent regarding the terms they agree to when bidding for such events. They should carefully consider the explicit and hidden costs of hosting and compare them with verifiable benefits.”