Key Takeaways
- FIFA expects to earn $13 billion (£9.6 billion) from the 2026 World Cup cycle
- The tournament expands to 48 teams and 104 matches across North America
- Ticket prices for the final reach $10,990, sparking fan complaints
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, described the 2026 World Cup as the greatest spectacle humanity has ever witnessed during the draw last December. The tournament will certainly become the most profitable sporting competition in history.
The global football governing body expects to earn $13 billion (£9.6 billion) during the four-year cycle that ends with this summer’s tournament. Nearly $9 billion of this total will arrive during 2026 alone.
This amount stands in sharp contrast to the recent Paris 2024 Olympics. That event generated €4.48 billion ($5.24 billion).
The financial gap between the World Cup and the Olympics has grown dramatically. Until the 2010 tournament in South Africa, the Olympics actually earned more money. The 2010 World Cup brought in $4.19 billion, while the London 2012 Games generated $3.23 billion at today’s exchange rates.
FIFA’s decision to hold the 2026 tournament in the United States has pushed earnings to new heights. Revenue jumped 18 per cent between the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 event in Qatar. That cycle earned $7.5 billion. Now, FIFA expects a further 73 per cent increase by the end of this summer.
Because FIFA exceeded its 2022-26 targets, it has already raised the budget for 2027-2030 to $14 billion. Infantino will present more details at the annual congress in Vancouver on Thursday.
Ricardo Fort, a sponsorship expert who has worked with Visa and Coca-Cola on FIFA deals, praised the commercial team. “If you ignore the noise and the politics then the work done by FIFA’s commercial team is very impressive,” he said.
The expansion from 32 to 48 teams plays a huge role in this growth. The number of matches rises from 64 to 104. This gives broadcasters far more content to buy. Kick-off times also suit the lucrative North American and European markets better than in Qatar.
FIFA has introduced new ways to earn money. For the first time, it sold Women’s World Cup TV rights separately during this cycle. It also sold rights to stream the first ten minutes of matches live on TikTok and YouTube. This aims to attract young viewers to traditional broadcasts.
Ticket sales and hospitality rank second in value at around $3 billion. This represents massive growth from the $950 million earned in Qatar. The large number of matches and huge North American demand drive this increase. FIFA has pushed ticket prices to record levels.
FIFA uses dynamic pricing, making average costs hard to calculate. However, Football Supporters Europe sent an official complaint to the European Commission last month. The group claims a disabled fan must pay $6,900 minimum to watch their team from the first match to the final. This is five times more than in Qatar.
For the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, prices start at $4,185. This is seven times the cheapest ticket from four years ago. It is over 40 times the cost of the most affordable seat at the Euro 2024 final in Germany. The most expensive ticket costs $10,990. This is nearly seven times the top price for the 2022 final.
The original bid from the USA, Canada and Mexico in 2018 estimated the average final ticket price at $1,408.
Despite complaints, demand remains strong. Infantino told CNBC last month that FIFA received over 500 million applications for seven million seats. Sixteen cities will host matches: eleven in the US, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.
“In the last four weeks we have had requests for a thousand years of World Cups,” Infantino said. “We have received ticket requests from over 200 countries as everyone wants to be part of something special.”
Commercial partners and sponsors will contribute a record $2.7 billion. Licensing deals add another $670 million.
“We have seen unprecedented interest from brands across the globe,” said Romy Gai, FIFA’s chief business officer, at a conference in Atlanta last month.
FIFA has signed 16 global partner deals with companies including Adidas, Aramco and Coca-Cola. It also has many regional and local sponsors. Fort says FIFA now offers more flexible deals than in the past.
“In the past there was a fixed fee for a certain set of rights,” Fort explained. “For this World Cup they have shown much greater flexibility. Companies can buy basic rights and add extras like guest experiences for additional fees.”
FIFA allocates about $2.7 billion directly to its 211 member federations and six continental confederations. Critics say this ensures the current leadership keeps power. Each national association receives $5 million per four-year cycle for operational costs. They can also apply for $3 million more for specific projects. The six confederations receive $60 million each per cycle.
FIFA’s biggest expense is running tournaments. The budget for all competitions over the last four years reached $7.6 billion. The 2026 World Cup alone will cost $3.8 billion, including operations and prize money.
Infantino will likely stand unopposed for a third full term next year. He changed FIFA statutes to allow this. He first won election in 2016 as a reform candidate to replace Sepp Blatter. He may serve 15 years, just two years less than his predecessor.
Last year, FIFA announced a 50 per cent increase in prize money from Qatar levels to $727 million. Each of the 48 teams was originally due at least $10.5 million, with winners getting $50 million. However, countries complained they might lose money. On Tuesday, the FIFA Council in Vancouver agreed to increase payments by another 15 per cent. The total prize fund now stands at $871 million.