Fifa’s 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada, is set to become the most lucrative sporting event in history, with projected revenues of $13bn (£9.6bn) from the four-year cycle culminating this summer. Almost $9bn of that total is expected to be earned this year alone, dwarfing the $5.24bn generated by the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Broadcast rights remain Fifa’s biggest income source, with forecast revenue rising to $3.4bn from $3.1bn for the 2018 Russia tournament. The expansion from 32 to 48 teams, increasing matches from 64 to 104, has provided more content for broadcasters. Fifa has also sold TV rights for the Women’s World Cup as a standalone property for the first time and monetised social media by live-streaming the first 10 minutes of matches on TikTok and YouTube.
Ticket sales and hospitality are the second-largest revenue driver, projected at around $3bn, up from $950m in Qatar 2022. Dynamic pricing has led to significant price hikes, with the most expensive ticket for the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium costing $10,990, nearly seven times the top price for the 2022 final. Despite complaints, Fifa says it has received over 500 million ticket applications.
Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, has called the tournament “the greatest event that humanity has ever seen”. The governing body has increased its budget for the 2027-2030 cycle to $14bn, reflecting the financial success of the expanded format and North American market.
