Residents’ perceived social impacts, emotional and psychological responses and persistent positive attitudes toward mega events

Purpose This study aims to investigate how the long-term social legacy of the FIFA World Cup 2022 is reflected in residents’ persistent positive attitudes after the event, focusing on the roles of perceived benefits and costs, emotional solidarity and psychological empowerment. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 401 Qatari residents in 2023, following the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed relationships. Findings Perceived benefits positively influenced residents’ emotional solidarity with visitors and their psychological empowerment, whereas perceived costs negatively affected psychological empowerment but did not influence emotional solidarity. Psychological empowerment and the communality dimension of emotional solidarity significantly predicted residents’ persistent positive attitudes toward the event, while the fairness dimension did not. Originality/value By focusing on post-event reflections, the study demonstrates that residents’ emotional and psychological responses play a central role in shaping the long-term social legacy of mega events. The findings also suggest that such social legacy may contribute to the host destination’s post-event image by fostering a welcoming social atmosphere, resident pride and positive destination narratives that can influence prospective tourists’ perceptions.