The 2026 World Cup has brought FIFA about $5 billion in ticket sales, The Times reported. The amount is more than five times the reported $929 million in ticket sales and hospitality rights around the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
However, FIFA has not publicly confirmed the specific value. According to the publication, the initial estimate was about $3.3 billion from tickets. The data was also cited by the Montenegrin newspaper Vijesti, which cited The Times as the source of the information.
Record revenues, but not only from the World Cup
It is important to note that the $15 billion associated with the championship does not only represent revenue from the tournament. Sports Business Journal quotes FIFA, according to which this is the organization's expected total revenue for the 2023-2026 financial cycle.
It includes proceeds from the World Cup in North America, but also about $2 billion from the Club World Cup in 2025, about $570 million from the Women's World Cup in 2023, as well as revenue from other events and commercial activities. Before the tournament, FIFA's updated budget forecast was $13 billion for the entire cycle.
According to the Sports Business Journal, the updated budget included $3.1 billion from ticket sales and hospitality rights. The published estimates of $3.1 billion and $3.3 billion refer to budget forecasts, while the $5 billion figure remains unconfirmed by FIFA.
Dynamic pricing and 30 percent on resale
The 2026 World Cup was the first to feature 48 teams and 104 matches - 40 more than the tournament in Qatar. The higher number of matches increased supply, but at the same time FIFA implemented dynamic pricing, in which the value of tickets fluctuated according to demand.
In official resale, sellers could set the price, and FIFA collected a 15 percent fee from both the seller and the buyer. That amounts to a total of 30 percent of each transaction. ABC News reported that a ticket for the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was being offered for more than $2 million.
FIFA defended the model, arguing that it was consistent with practices in the American sports market. According to insiders cited in the publications, if the organization had not taken advantage of fans' willingness to pay higher prices, some of these funds would have gone to intermediaries, agencies and other ticket platforms.
Final figures will be released after the audit
In response to an inquiry from The Times, FIFA did not confirm the $5 billion figure, but said the financial result would allow for additional payments to the 211 member associations.
„FIFA will publish the revenue generated by the 2026 World Cup in its next annual report. "These figures are subject to mandatory audit procedures and are therefore not yet available for public disclosure," the organization said.The final breakdown of revenues from the 2026 World Cup will be made public with FIFA's annual report once the audit procedures are complete.
Sources: en.vijesti.me, sportsbusinessjournal.com, abc.net.au