The 2026 World Cup generated $8.9 billion in revenue for FIFA, compared with $7.6 billion over the four-year Qatar World Cup cycle from 2019 to 2022. Over the 2023–2026 cycle, FIFA’s total revenue is expected to exceed $13 billion, a 71% increase from the Qatar cycle and the largest growth in the organisation’s history.
The 2026 World Cup left behind far more than a record-breaking financial report. On the commercial side, the tournament’s intellectual property unlocked unprecedented revenue potential. On the technology front, AI moved from a behind-the-scenes support tool to centre stage, contributing to content production, match broadcasting and fan engagement, and reshaping how the World Cup is produced and consumed. In media rights strategy, online community platforms created a more interactive venue for fans, breaking away from the model of big-screen broadcasting and advertising that had dominated the previous two decades.
That transformation has brought both benefits and drawbacks. FIFA and its sponsors have welcomed the tournament’s rising commercial value. For host countries, however, the gains and costs have been uneven. Ordinary viewers have enjoyed a wider range of ways to watch matches, while veteran fans have complained that excessive commercialisation and technology have come at the expense of the viewing experience.
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