From 2014 onwards, any country in which FIFA decided to entrust the World Cup event caused a major debate. Russia (2018), Qatar (2022) and 2026 the US - Mexico - Canada consortium were options that brought many reactions, but at the same time brought much money to the funds of the International Federation. And when we say a lot, it's not exaggeration, it's reality.
THE Gianni Infanino may have made huge and criminal mistakes (think only of the issues with visas that faced groups, referees, factors, fans, journalists or the unscrupulousness with the Trump Peace Prize), but it turned out that he was right when last December during the draw for group training he described the World as "the greatest event humanity has ever seen". And his justification for the financial track is absolute, as it will certainly be the most profitable event in sports history. FIFA has spent the last few years constantly upgrading its revenue forecasts, with the latest financial report reporting that it will collect EUR 11.5 billion from the four-year cycle culminating in this year's summer tournament. In fact, nearly 8 billion of them will enter its funds within this year.
To give a tangible size in order to make a clearer comparison, it is enough to mention that the Olympic Games (the ultimate sporting event) in Paris in 2024 contributed 4.48 billion euros! What's the cause of the launch of the proceeds of the World Cup? The increase in groups (48 out of 32) caused rise above 30% revenue from the sale of the television rights of the event. The respective 2022s brought to the FIFA funds 2.56 billion euros, while this year's tournament added another billion (3.5).
Record agreements
When you offer 64 games to television providers another 40 matches (104 in total this year), then you just see your accounts... get away. In this piece (TV) you need to take off the hat in FIFA and for its finding to capitalize on social media (social media).
How did he do it? Selling the live transmission rights of the first 10 minutes of the games in TikTok and YouTube, in the hope of attracting younger fans towards traditional television coverage and simultaneously discovering a new source of revenue.
Another area where a historical high is created is revenues from trading partners and sponsors, which will generate the €3 billion record amount!
"This is already the most successful commercial program in FIFA history", market experts say, with International Federation to have signed 16 agreements with colossus companies, but also a number of regional and local sponsorships, showing remarkable flexibility. In the past there was a fixed price for a specific set of rights. This is why FIFA moved with different logic, offering companies basic commercial rights, but with the ability to add extra benefits for additional remuneration.
The hosting packages
The 22nd World Cup, the first held in an Arab country (Katar), had offered to International Football Federation about 1 billion euros from the ticket and hospitality section (the hosting packages). And in this area, the increase in struggles created new data, but the estimated revenues of EUR 3 billion are much greater than one would expect.
The Catalans, wanting to bring people to the emirate, had kept the prices (rewards and accommodation) at... reasonable levels. For example, the final tickets were sold 600 to 1,000 euros and the most expensive had reached 1,400 euros, while now the most expensive magic card for the 19 July final in New Jersey is costing 9,450 euros (seven times more expensive!).
More generally, the story "Mundial tickets and hospitality" has caused many discussions (and complaints from fan organisations), as it is by far the most expensive of all time.
Specialized websites say the cost for a fan who wants to watch his team throughout the tournament can reach all $30,000 (27,000 euros). In fact, Donald Trump's line is characteristic when he was informed about ticket prices (if we consider that he had no idea): "I wouldn't pay them either!".
But beyond the most expensive, it's also the most... difficult. The difficulty has to do with the travel restrictions imposed by the Trump government. All we have to say is that four of the participating countries are subject to a full travel ban (which affects tourists, but not players), while the promoters of some have to go through strict controls to enter the country. It is precisely this treaty that causes many to question FIFA's estimates of the amount of revenue, as neither the tickets have been exhausted, nor the expected world has traveled. ..
Whether or not FIFA's predictions will be justified will be learned in the finale, while the question "Where exactly is that money that FIFA wins?", the answer is: "For the good of football going.".
As a non-profit organization (?), FIFA says it will reinvest at least 10 billion euros of its revenue "to boost the global development of football", an increase of 20% compared to the current cycle, although the distribution of this money causes reactions.
Around EUR 2.5 billion is earmarked for direct financing to the 211 FIFA member federations and six continental confederations. And when you give so much money to those voting for the election of the president and the board of directors, this is obviously an extremely effective way for the present leadership to ensure its stay in power.
Undisclosed gains
For the cities that will host the games the final account may not be positive, we may not know yet which country will conquer the World Cup, but we already know a branch that rubs its hands out of satisfaction due to the holding of the 2026 World Cup in North America: the betting companies of the world!
This year's World Cup will break every previous record and emerge as the largest betting event in the history of the planet. Estimates of the top analysts and investment banks show a huge betting explosion, largely due to the new expanded 48-team format (104 matches instead of 64), the favorable North American time zones and the legalization of the online betting in dozens of US States. Financial forecasts really do cause. ..dizziness, as estimates report that worldwide will be played by EUR 44 to 52 billion.
In 2022 at the respective event in Qatar the turnover had reached 30 billion euros, and this practically means that four years later an increase of 43% to 70% is expected! Such figures would be envious of many giants of the world economy, while analysts estimate the average wagering per race will touch or exceed 450m euros!
In the three countries that will host the tournament the turnover is expected to reach EUR 5 billion. Specifically in the US, online betting is expected to exceed 3.5 billion, while the corresponding figure of 2022 was just 1.5 billion. This is because now 65% of the American population has access to legitimate betting platforms as opposed to 40% that was valid in 2022, plus that the games will be held in high ratings hours for America.
The... Hot Cooling Break
It may be a problem for the countries of Europe if the reverse hours (most matches take place after midnight), but even so they will have additional advertising revenue due to the famous Cooling breaks (the short breaks for cooling players due to high temperatures). In the 35th and 70th minutes of each race there will be a 90-second break, with coaches using it as a timeout and television stations as the El Dorado of revenue.
Estimates of sports marketing experts show that Cooling breaks can generate an overall additional income of EUR 300 million worldwide for rights-holding television stations.
Unlike a halftime break, where viewers are often removed from the screen, the Cooling Break occurs during the live flow of the race and usually when the ratings are at its peak (peak) and the audience is completely committed. Thus, a 30-second advertising spot during a cooling break is costing between 20% and 40% more expensive than normal half-time commercials and can reach close to 1 million euros!
The... expenses and prizes
But apart from the big money that FIFA will collect, the tournament also has...expenditure and the World Cup 2026 beyond the most profitable, it is expected to be the most expensive (macran of the second) touching them. EUR 3.3 billion (amount including all operating costs and prize money).
FIFA announced last year that it was raising the cash prize fund by 50% compared to Qatar, at 630m euros, with each of the 48 teams initially expected to receive at least $9 million and the winner receiving €44m. These figures did not satisfy the participating federations in particular, with FIFA announcing two months before the centra that it will eventually distribute 753m euros to the teams - each country will have a minimum income of 11m euros.
Crazy profits and predictions
EUR 11.5 billion
is expected to be FIFA revenue
EUR 3 billion
revenues from trading partners and sponsors
EUR 9,450
costs the most expensive ticket to the final of 19 July
30,000 dollars
(27,000 euros) the cost for a fan who wants to watch his team throughout the tournament
EUR 3.3 billion
fIFA's expenses for the 2026 World Cup - expected to be (macran of the second) the most costly
EUR 44 to 52 billion
estimated to be played on the bet
EUR 450 million
estimated that the average bet per match will reach
EUR 300 million
worldwide additional revenue can generate total cooling breaks for the television stations they hold
rights