The 2026 FIFA World Cup became the most profitable tournament in the history of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
According to a report by The Guardian, the organization generated an income of $15 billion during the championship. This figure significantly exceeded FIFA's initial forecast, which was around $11 billion.
The main part of the profit received came from ticket sales and their subsequent resale. The total revenue increased significantly because a commission of 15 percent was received as both buyer and seller during the ticket resale.
Furthermore, income generated from hospitality services also played an important role in achieving FIFA's record financial performance.
It should be noted that on the day the article was published, the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place between the national teams of Spain and Argentina.
The total costs for the host countries for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are estimated to be between $12 and $14 billion. The tournament will take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
The USA is taking on the majority of the expenses. Specifically, $500 million has been allocated for ensuring the tournament's security, including drone defense systems. Due to local legislation, a significant portion of the total budget remains unpublished.
Canada plans to spend about $800 million on the tournament. These funds cover organizational expenses in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto.
Mexico's expenses are relatively small because the country decided to modernize existing known stadiums instead of building new arenas.
The main financial advantage of the 2026 World Cup is that the host nations are hardly building new stadiums. The tournament will primarily use existing infrastructure for NFL and football matches.
FIFA, in turn, forecasts record revenue of $13–$14 billion due to increased ticket prices and media rights income.
For comparison, the costs for the 2022 World Cup, hosted by Qatar, exceeded $220 billion. This was due to all new stadiums, cities, and other infrastructure facilities being built from scratch.
