The cash keeps climbing, now past $15 bn. Can you believe the tally still isn’t settled?
Fans in the U.S., Canada and Mexico generated five times the ticket revenue of Qatar 2022, where earnings hit $929 m. Adding 40 matches pushed average takings from $14.5 m to roughly $48 m per game.
That outcome proves FIFA and its omnipotent president Gianni Infantino were spot‑on about the money angle.
But the organization missed the mark on what many consider entertaining—cramming pop icons from Robbie Williams to BTS into a halftime spectacle that felt more gimmick than celebration.
FIFA also botched mandatory hydration pauses and stretched the halftime show to an illegal 27 minutes.
At its core, the governing body cares about one thing: cash flow.
Dynamic ticket pricing and a cut of resale markets have fattened the purse, and cozying up to controversial figures hasn’t dented the bottom line. In my view, FIFA’s sole focus on profit eclipses the sport itself.
The tournament’s sheer scale makes it untouchable, a behemoth that will survive any scandal and keep pouring in revenue.
Infantino may weather the backlash from his rushed sale of commercial rights; supporters remain loyal, and his March re‑election looks secure despite the uproar.
Recent memes involving Kylian Mbappé and China’s former leader sparked sponsor pull‑outs, underscoring how quickly money can evaporate when optics sour.
Even with blunders and moral lapses, the 2026 World Cup proved a financial triumph; the cash flood was undeniable, so the show goes on.
And, borrowing a phrase from the very regions enriching FIFA, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.
Leander Schaerlaeckens is the author of The Long Game: U.S. Men’s Soccer and Its Savage, Four‑Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts, which is out now. He teaches at Marist University. Will the next tournament finally curb the greed?