In a troubled world where wars rage and stock markets shake, many may long for a distraction: to sit down in front of the TV and watch men kick a ball for 90 minutes.
And the fact that Sweden is now playing in this summer's World Cup could make Swedes open their wallets, Robert Bergqvist believes.
"Economics is very much about psychology. In this situation, when we are looking for glimmers of light in a dark world, the World Cup is undeniably a kind of campfire to gather around," he says.
"Many people will sit in different types of bars and watch the matches, or maybe they will gather at home and spend more then."
Chips and travel
Minister of Finance Elisabeth Svantesson (M) makes the same assessment.
"Many of us will both eat chips and maybe travel for this," she says.
And there is money, Robert Bergqvist says. Swedish households generally have high savings - which this summer may be spent on national team jerseys and bags of chips - and wallets have been filled recently.
"Not least because of the reduced food VAT. We have an income tax reduction, we have a capital tax reduction and relaxations in mortgage rules. Households have increased financial space," he says.
The further Sweden goes in the tournament, the more the economy could benefit, Bergqvist believes. What could be a stumbling block is the match times. The World Cup is being played in the USA, Canada and Mexico, and several of the matches will therefore take place in the middle of the night local time in Sweden.
Affects work
Not only does this mean fewer beers sold at sports bars, but it can also affect the productivity of Swedish workers the next day.
"The risk is that we fall asleep at the keyboard if we sit up too long. If things go too well for Sweden, we might not go to work but sit at home and watch TV instead," says Robert Bergqvist.
But, he adds, the risk of a negative impact on the Swedish economy is small. The fact that the World Cup is played in the summer, when many people are off work, means that the risk is further reduced, says Elisabeth Svantesson.
"I see above all that this is fun, and many people will do what they can to watch the games. You may be a little more tired when you go to work, but it can be worth it," she says.
