Visa ‘s stock price is likely to benefit as the payments processor prepares for a windfall tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup , according to Wolfe Research. The research firm has an outperform on Visa and raised its price target on the stock Wednesday to $395 from $385, implying 28% upside from Tuesday’s close. “Feedback [on Visa’s earnings call] surrounded this year’s marketing contribution to [value-added services] growth from the … World Cup as well as [foreign exchange volume] assumption implicit in guidance,” analyst Darrin Peller said in a 10-page report to clients. “Overall, commentary suggests that VAS growth was broad-based and should have a sizable runaway beyond this year, especially in the context of greater agentic-led fraud demands.” Visa on Tuesday reported better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results, and raised its forecast for the current fiscal year, partially due to the expected impact of the FIFA World Cup on consumer and commercial spending. In reaction, Visa soared 10% in the trading session following the earnings report. Visa is the official payments partner for FIFA’s global soccer event, which is expected to attract more than 1.2 million visitors to the New York-New Jersey area this summer, according to FIFA. More broadly, Wolfe Research said Visa customers’ spending trends “remain healthy,” despite a dip in travel-related purchases due to the Iran war. That decline has been offset by stronger cross-border e-commerce spending, however, Wolfe added. The recommendation on Visa matches the consensus view on Wall Street. Of 42 analysts covering Visa, 39 rate it a buy or strong buy, LSEG data shows. Shares have fallen nearly 12% in 2026.
