Financial report reveals record fifteen billion dollar revenues for FIFA alongside limited local host city gains, highlighting disparities in mega-event economics.
... FIFA has announced it has made a record $15 billion (£11.2bn) revenues from this summer's World Cup (tinyurl.com/4n6tzavt), significantly exceeding a pre-tournament projection of $11bn. By contrast, the tournament's 16 host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico have likely seen much smaller, short-term benefits (tinyurl.com/ywvenjp6). The international football federation originally estimated that the 2026 World Cup could generate up to $40.9bn in gross domestic product, including up to $620 million for US host cities (tinyurl.com/3hbyz2h2). However, “When it comes to the World Cup, FIFA is the clear economic winner because it controls the tournament's most valuable and scalable revenue streams,” said Michael Edwards, a professor of parks, recreation and tourism management at North Carolina State University, whose research and teaching includes sport finance. Edwards points to not only FIFA's billions made from ticket sales, resales, and hospitality packages but also broadcasting rights, corporate sponsorship deals, and licensing for merchandise and media products.
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