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MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - Before the World Cup is presented to the winning team next summer, small businesses have a chance to score their own way. Months away from the FIFA World Cup lights up Hard Rock Stadium, Verizon hosted the FIFA Opportunity Workshop in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood. Wednesday’s event aims to teach business owners how they can leverage FIFA to help boost growth. “I think this is an absolutely amazing opportunity — FIFA coming to Miami, the growth that we’re gonna have, the economic development — and again, goes back to our small businesses, right?” said Verizon spokesperson Alonso Castillo. “They are the engine of the U.S. economy.” Business owners were shown how to create magnetic marketing campaigns and how to resonate with thousands of tourists set to descend on South Florida. One small business owner is Dr. Ciara Lynn Bostick, the founder of the herbal tea company Lynn Leaf Tea in Fort Lauderdale. “I’m still in the growing phase, the learning phase, so I’m here to get more information, and to see how I can be a part of, not just this event, but other large events as well,” she said. Bostick said she’s looking for opportunity. “As a small business owner, especially in South Florida, where we have things like FIFA and all these different sports teams, it’s great that we have opportunities for small business owners to be here in – to have that experience and to share with it,” she said. “I mean, it definitely helps the economy grow, and it helps South Florida grow as well.” Another event, a forum at PortMiami Monday, also aims to help local companies prepare. Miami FIFA Host Committee President Alina Hudak is hosting the forum. “This is a really great moment to be here, at our port, welcoming local businesses,” she said. The forum puts emphasis on hospitality. “Having a World Cup here for 30-plus days in June, July of 2026, it offers an enormous opportunity for our local businesses, tremendous opportunity for economic impact for South Florida, in the hospitality industry in particular,” said Hudak. Hudak highlighted the milestone moment to kick off opportunities. “We’re really excited about what the potential looks like, and we want our local businesses to understand it,” she said. “We want to educate them, and we want to help them with tool kits and different types of information for them to be prepared.” Those watching next year’s FIFA World Cup games in person will be able to call Hard Rock Stadium by another name. The Miami Gardens venue will be temporarily renamed Miami Stadium during the event. Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
