The FIFA World Cup is giving office workers across North America an unexpected break from commuting.

As host cities prepare for heavy traffic and crowded public transport, many employers are allowing staff to work from home on match days. The move has led some companies to pause efforts to bring workers back to the office full-time.

Employers Offer Flexibility

JPMorgan Chase is among the firms giving employees more flexibility during the tournament. The decision stands out because chief executive Jamie Dimon has long opposed remote work.

Other companies, government agencies and schools have also adopted temporary work-from-home policies. Officials in cities hosting matches have warned that fans could cause major traffic delays.

S&P Global told employees at its New York headquarters to work remotely on days when matches take place at the nearby NYNJ Stadium in New Jersey. The company said it was waiving its office attendance rule “to help you avoid a difficult commute.”

Remote Work as a Solution

Experts say the World Cup shows how remote work can help during major events.

“Avoiding World Cup traffic is a perfect use case of remote work,” said Emma Harrington, an economist at the University of Virginia who studies remote work. “Sitting in gridlock isn’t a good use of anyone’s time.”

Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom compared the disruption to severe weather events.

“This is much like weather events – snowstorms, storms, tornadoes,” that might require remote work, Bloom said.

Mixed Impact Across Cities

Authorities in Mexico City ordered federal employees to work from home on selected match days. Officials also urged private employers to follow suit. Other host cities have introduced similar measures.

Still, the impact has not matched expectations everywhere. Atlanta restaurant owner Teneshia Murray said traffic remained light during the city’s first match.

“Surprisingly, there was no traffic,” Murray said. “Everybody was tripping out, and it’s like nothing. On Monday, the roads were clearer than ever.”