The 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer Championship games have had an incredible effect on the international economy.  Sure, the nationalism for countries participating in this 32-team tournament has reached a fever pitch.  However, the impact internationally on commerce and small business has been literally incalculable. 

This year the interest generated by the soccer team representing the United States reached its highest point.  Over the years, the U.S. would trudge out a mediocre squad which would inevitably take its lumps and be eliminated from competition in the early rounds.  This time around, however, the squad was supported totally by the citizens of the U.S.   

Online gambling figures went through the roof on the quarterfinal match between the United States and Ghana.  Casino gambling also has had an increase in volume over the past few weeks, and these figures can be attributed to the marked influx of bettors from England and the States on the World Cup Soccer matches. 

In the quarterfinal match against Ghana, the U.S. was a small favourite.  You needed to bet $113 to make $100 if you wagered on the U.S.  However, as in life, match-ups are the key. What is true in love and marriage is also true in World Cup Soccer – compatibility is determined by contrasting styles.  In the U.S. - Ghana match, the speed and patience of the Ghana team presented continuous problems for the U.S. squad and, for the second consecutive World Cup, the squad from Africa defeated the U.S. contingent by a 2-1 score.

The success of the World Cup so far has been due, in part, to the success of the U.S. squad.  Television ratings for the 2010 World Cup are up 68% over the ratings from four years ago, and the online gambling and casino gambling volume has likewise shown a remarkable increase.   Restaurants and taverns from all over the world are quadrupling their receipts during World Cup play, and commerce throughout the world has received a much-needed stimulus from the Games. 

It is unfortunate that the teams from the United States and England were both eliminated in the “Sweet Sixteen” round of competition.  However, charismatic players from Brazil, Spain and Germany will keep worldwide interest in the tournament alive, and the Games will continue to break records on all fronts as commerce and the world’s economy surge.