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How the 2026 World Cup became the biggest money-making machine in sports

2026-07-17 18:35:32Sport SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

The 2026 World Cup has not only broken sporting records. It is expected to go down in history as the first sporting event to generate over $10 billion in revenue, making FIFA the sports organization with the highest profits from a single competition.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has long predicted that the revenue from the 2026 World Cup would be almost double that of Qatar 2022. Now, with the tournament heading towards the final between Spain and Argentina, that goal is close to being achieved.

From 5.8 to 10 billion dollars

The Qatar 2022 World Cup brought FIFA around $5.8 billion in revenue, an absolute record at the time.

But the 2026 edition, hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico, is expected to take this figure to $10 billion, setting a new standard in the global sports industry.

According to experts, not even the Olympic Games come close to the economic potential of the World Cup. The Paris 2024 Olympics generated just over $5 billion, while Euro 2024 in Germany brought in about $2.9 billion.

USA, FIFA's secret weapon

One of the main reasons for this financial success is the fact that 78 of the 104 matches took place in the United States.

The American market allowed: record ticket prices; much larger sponsorships; more lucrative television contracts; massive sales of VIP packages.

Over 6 million fans watched the matches from stadiums, while FIFA expects to collect around $3.5 billion from tickets and hospitality packages alone, triple the previous record.

Sponsors pay staggering amounts

The 2026 World Cup became a magnet for global brands.

In addition to traditional partners such as Adidas, Coca-Cola, Visa, Hyundai and Aramco, FIFA secured American sponsors such as Bank of America and McDonald's, with contracts reaching up to $100 million each.

Sports marketing experts consider the World Cup to be the most valuable product in the world.

"It is a global mega-event that has no rival. Neither the Olympics nor the Super Bowl come close to the impact of the World Cup," industry specialists estimate.

Television remains a "gold mine"

The largest source of income continues to be the sale of television rights.

For the 2023-2026 cycle, FIFA expects to collect around $5.2 billion, while the target for the 2027-2030 period is for this figure to exceed $6 billion.

In the US, interest exploded, with the US national team's match against Belgium being watched by 30 million viewers, a historic record for soccer in the country.

The World Cup is getting bigger and bigger

The expansion from 32 to 48 teams and the increase from 64 to 104 matches has created more inventory for sponsors, television and ticket sales.

Infantino has not ruled out the possibility that the 2030 World Cup could be expanded to 64 national teams, which would bring the number of matches to 128.

However, experts warn that further expansion could reduce sporting interest, even though it would increase profits.

Next challenge: 2030 World Cup

Despite its extraordinary economic success, FIFA knows it will find it difficult to repeat the same figures at the 2030 World Cup, which will be held mainly in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

The American market is considered unique for its purchasing power, sponsors, and high ticket prices.

However, FIFA believes that the global popularity of football continues to grow and aims to generate $1 billion more in the next four-year cycle than in the current period.

The World Cup is no longer just the biggest football tournament. It has become the most powerful economic sports product on the planet, surpassing every other event in terms of financial impact, audience, and global interest.


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