FIFA eyes record $15 billion revenue after successful 2026 World Cup

MUMBAI: For FIFA, the biggest win may not have come on the pitch, it may have arrived on the balance sheet. Riding on the commercial success of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said the tournament has unlocked fresh revenue opportunities that will allow the governing body to invest more heavily in football development across the globe.

Addressing representatives of FIFA’s 211 member associations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, Infantino said the tournament, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, had “opened a lot of doors, opportunities and possibilities” for the organisation, strengthening its financial position and expanding its commercial reach.

The FIFA chief revealed that the organisation now expects revenues for the 2023–2026 cycle to exceed $15 billion, setting what would be a record financial benchmark for world football’s governing body. The additional income, he said, will enable FIFA to increase funding for football development programmes across its global membership.

Infantino said FIFA intends to “unleash the commercial potential and opportunity” available to the organisation while continuing to reinvest the proceeds into growing the game. He argued that commercial success and football development are closely linked, with the FIFA World Cup remaining the sport’s most powerful economic engine.

Describing the tournament as “the pinnacle of football”, Infantino said every stakeholder in the global game benefits from a successful World Cup, regardless of the size of their football market. He added that the competition should remain central to future discussions around the international football calendar and the expansion of global tournaments.

The FIFA President also highlighted the organisation’s FIFA Forward programme, which supports football development projects worldwide. Funding under the initiative is projected to reach a record $2.7 billion during the 2027–2030 cycle—an eight-fold increase compared with its launch a decade ago. According to FIFA, the organisation has already invested around $5.1 billion in football development during Infantino’s presidency.

Looking ahead, Infantino said FIFA will continue expanding its competition portfolio through events including the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil, enlarged youth competitions and the launch of the FIFA Under-15 World Cup & Festival. He said increasing commercial revenues remains essential because many football associations continue to rely on FIFA funding to develop the sport at grassroots and elite levels.

Infantino also disclosed that more than 200 member associations have already pledged support for his planned 2027 re-election campaign, strengthening his confidence in pursuing FIFA’s long-term commercial and development agenda.

The comments underline FIFA’s growing ambition to position itself not only as the custodian of the world’s biggest sporting event but also as one of global sport’s most powerful commercial organisations. With record revenues on the horizon and a wider pipeline of international competitions, the governing body is signalling that the business of football is set to grow well beyond the final whistle.