FIFA’s 2026 World Cup is on track to become the most lucrative sporting event in history, with projected revenue hitting approximately $9 billion. The financial bonanza is part of a broader four-year revenue cycle that FIFA expects to land somewhere between $11 billion and $13 billion. Ticketing and hospitality alone are targeted at over $3 billion, a figure buoyed by the expanded 48-team, 104-match format spread across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Record crowds, record dollars
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has pointed to record daily attendance figures during the group stages as evidence that the expanded format is working.
Broadcasting rights and sponsorship deals form the backbone of that $9 billion projection. Reports of dynamic ticket pricing frustrating fans and allegations of political interference, including reports of US President Trump engaging with Infantino regarding player suspensions, have done little to dent the commercial machine.
Crypto enters the pitch
