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FIFA Projects 2023-2026 Revenue Above $15 Billion After 2026 World Cup with Higher Ticket Prices
The 2026 World Cup ended Sunday with FIFA projecting more than $15 billion in cycle revenue, nearly double its prior estimate. Expanded format and ticket demand drove results despite record prices.
Jul 21, 2:00 PM·1m read1 source
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The 2026 World Cup concluded on Sunday as FIFA projected total revenue for its 2023–2026 commercial cycle to surpass $15 billion, @FortuneMagazine reported. The figure nearly doubles the roughly $8.9 billion projection made one year earlier. In April, FIFA had estimated the tournament itself would generate around $11 billion.
Gianni Infantino stated over the weekend that the full cycle total would exceed $15 billion. On Saturday he told member association representatives that the organization can do even better ahead of the 2030 World Cup. “I think I can say that this FIFA World Cup here in particular has opened a lot of doors, a lot of opportunities, a lot of possibilities,” Infantino said.
The expanded format of 48 teams and 104 matches contributed to the outcome. FIFA received over 500 million ticket requests from residents in all 211 member countries and territories during a 33-day application window between December and January. Antonio Di Cianni stated that group-stage stadium utilization reached 99 percent.
Group-stage tickets reached a maximum price of $575, more than double the 2022 maximum. FIFA applied dynamic pricing for the first time, with some group-stage tickets exceeding $1,000. The average resale price for a final ticket on SeatGeek was $12,751, and at least one ticket on FIFA’s resale platform was listed at $2.3 million.
The U.S. national team’s round-of-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina drew more than 24 million viewers across Fox and Telemundo. Mexico’s round-of-16 loss to England drew 23.
