This World Cup has been bigger than any tournament before it.
The report indicates that this World Cup has been bigger than any tournament before it.
It further notes that more countries taking part and more matches means more eyeballs on the action – as well as more opportunities to make money.
As the planet’s footballing stars create historic moments on the pitch, billions of dollars are being generated off it.
But not everyone is raking in the big bucks with financial winners and losers.
The amount of money world football’s governing body Fifa makes from the World Cup is astronomical. It generated a record $7.6bn (£5.6bn) from Qatar 2022 and is expected to top that in US, Canada and Mexico 2026, especially with the expanded 48-team tournament.
Marion Laboure, senior strategist at Deutsche Bank Research, says Fifa is “without question” the main winner with its revenues over the four-year cycle period approaching $13bn.
Fifa’s income comes from the sale of broadcasting, licensing and hospitality rights, sponsorship deals and ticket sales.
“Fifa also moved into the secondary market with its official resale marketplace, taking a 15% fee from both buyer and seller,” adds Laboure.
We should expect more of this in tournaments to come, with Fifa considering expanding the tournament yet again to 64 teams, which could include the likes of China and India – and the billions more viewers that come with it.
While fans may have achieved lifelong dreams, financially speaking, this tournament has been tough.
The vast sums being forked out to pay for the tickets alone and criticism of Fifa’s dynamic pricing strategy, which raises prices when demand is high, have been well-documented.
Even US President Donald Trump admitted he “wouldn’t pay” when asked about the potential $1,000 ticket price for his country’s tournament opener against Paraguay.
Tickets for the final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium were officially offered at $32,970, while some resale tickets have been listed for more than $2m.
Fifa president Infantino defended ticket costs, arguing they were in line with other US sporting events.
