The millionaire numbers left by the 2026 World Cup for FIFA

The FIFA reached a historic record in revenue with the 2026 World Cup, raising around US$15 billion, a figure that greatly exceeded the projected US$11 billion before the tournament began.

The announcement was made by FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a meeting with affiliated federations before the final between Spain and Argentina. The result represents an increase of nearly 36% compared to the original financial target.

How it compares to the revenue of Qatar 2022

The revenue from the 2026 World Cup far exceeds the US$7.6 billion raised in Qatar 2022. The growth was driven by ticket sales, marketing, and broadcasting rights, in addition to the expansion to 48 teams and 104 matches.

As Infantino explained, much of the increase was due to hospitality and ticket sales in the secondary market, where prices reached very high values. In the final, some spectators paid up to US$35,000 for a ticket.

How FIFA's commission works in ticket resale

In the official resale system, FIFA receives a 15% commission from the buyer and another 15% from the seller, a mechanism that significantly increased revenue during the tournament.

The global economic impact of the 2026 World Cup

The economic impact will not only benefit FIFA. Although the exact distribution has not yet been defined, national federations are also expected to receive part of the budget increase generated by the tournament.

FIFA estimated that around US$40 billion would be added to the global economy, of which US$20 billion would boost the U.S. economy alone, creating 185,000 jobs, mainly in hospitality, restaurants, and accommodation.

The institutional support for Infantino

For Infantino, this result represents institutional backing after several weeks marked by questioning. The leader believes that financial success strengthens his leadership, especially after receiving more than 200 promises of support for his re-election, scheduled for March.

The United States could host the World Cup again

The economic success of the tournament also fueled the possibility that the United States could host the next edition open for bids, that of 2038.

During a reception on Friday, President Donald Trump expressed that desire: “They should choose the United States again. This time we will leave Canada and Mexico out”. The country is also in talks with FIFA to host the 2029 Club World Cup.

The 4 segments that generated the most money for FIFA

• Broadcasting rights: global television agreements represent the largest portion of revenue

• Ticket sales and hospitality: high-end VIP packages boosted final revenue

• Official resale commissions: 15% commission for both buyer and seller

• Corporate sponsorships: include hydration sponsorships, which generated the most revenue in marketing

The million-dollar business of Fox Sports with hydration breaks

The FIFA decision to impose mandatory hydration breaks in all 104 matches was an unprecedented measure. According to the organization, these breaks “ensured the best possible conditions for the players”.

The big winner of this policy was not FIFA, but Fox Sports, which had requested this break before the tournament began due to strong legal pressure, after FIFA changed the Qatar venue from summer to winter.

How Fox Sports multiplied its profits

To avoid an expensive lawsuit, FIFA granted the rights to the 2026 World Cup to Fox Sports at a reduced price of US$500 million. The network resold those rights for about US$1.5 billion, achieving an estimated profit of US$1 billion.

The division of each match into quarters for hydration breaks generated a total of 208 advertising breaks of 3 minutes throughout the tournament.

According to experts, a 30-second advertising spot on Fox Sports during the World Cup cost on average between US$200,000 and US$300,000, and reached up to US$800,000 during the U.S. matches in the final stages.

How FIFA redistributes World Cup money

FIFA redistributes part of the money through a historic sum of US$875 million among the participating countries, as the tournament champion receives US$50 million.

Organizational costs represent about US$3.8 billion in logistics, technology, and audiovisual production. FIFA transfers that money directly to each federation, which decides internally how to distribute it among players and coaching staff.