FIFA has defended its high ticket prices after confirming a record £3.8bn in revenue from ticket and hospitality sales at the 2026 World Cup. The staggering figure represents a fivefold increase on the £697m generated from the same sources at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
President Gianni Infantino explained the revenue model, stating that FIFA operates as a non-profit organisation that reinvests all income into global football development. He noted that 211 nations are members of FIFA, with three-quarters of them reliant on its grants to fund organised football. The revenue from this summer's tournament will be spent over the next 47 months leading into the next World Cup. Infantino emphasised that every dollar earned is ploughed back into football, with the organisation on track to invest $11bn into the sport across the four-year cycle concluding with the 2026 tournament.
World Cup revenue exceeds expectations
The total revenue from the 2026 World Cup reached $15bn (£11.27bn), surpassing FIFA's own financial projections. The massive jump in ticket and hospitality income to £3.8bn has drawn significant criticism from supporters' groups. The Football Supporters Association in England labelled the ticket prices as scandalous. The controversy over affordability is particularly acute for the final in New Jersey, where the most expensive tickets are priced at $2,700, and even category three tickets, intended to be the most accessible, cost $395.
FIFA also profits from the secondary ticket market, taking a 30 percent cut from any official resale. Resale prices often reached multiple times the original face value, further contributing to the overall revenue figure. Infantino argued that the pricing is necessary to fund FIFA's global mission, stating that without this revenue, football in many parts of the world would not exist.
FIFA revises competition sales plan
The governing body reversed that decision within days, opting to retain full control of its commercial assets. This rapid policy shift shows the complex financial pressures facing international football's governing body as it seeks new revenue streams.
The governing body's financial report details the scale of its operations, with the 2026 World Cup hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Infantino's defence centres on the redistribution model, arguing that the funds are essential for developing the game worldwide. The organisation states it will distribute a record $10bn to its 211 member associations and the six continental confederations over the current cycle.
The controversy arrives as domestic leagues like the Championship continue to grapple with their own ticketing and affordability challenges. The next major international tournament for European nations will be the 2028 European Championship, hosted across the United Kingdom and Ireland.
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