The 2026 FIFA World Cup is setting records even before the tournament kicks off. FIFA expects nearly 8 billion euros in operating revenue from the competition, the bulk of which will be provided by the sale of television rights, sponsorship deals, and tickets. This is reported by Forbes, according to UNN.
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According to FIFA estimates, more than 3 billion euros will come from the sale of television rights. The organization plans to receive another approximately 2.5 billion euros from ticket sales, while the value of concluded sponsorship agreements has already exceeded 2 billion euros.
The tournament will also be the largest in history in terms of scale. For the first time, the championship will be hosted by three countries simultaneously, matches will be held in 16 stadiums across four time zones, and the number of participants will increase from 32 to 48 national teams.
FIFA expects a record audience
The federation predicts that the championship matches will be watched by up to 6 billion people worldwide, which is about 70% of the planet's population.
For comparison, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar reached about 5 billion viewers through television, streaming services, and social networks.
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According to FIFA, holding matches in different time zones will further increase the audience and advertiser interest.
Major brands compete for presence at the tournament
FIFA's sponsorship system consists of three tiers. Global partners include Adidas, Coca-Cola, Hyundai-Kia, Visa, and Qatar Airways.
Official tournament sponsors include McDonald's, Budweiser, Bank of America, Unilever, and Verizon. At the regional level, the competition is supported by companies such as Airbnb, Home Depot, and Valvoline.
FIFA notes that the greatest interest in the championship is shown by companies in the tourism, food, and digital services sectors, which seek to take advantage of the global audience of the world's largest sporting event.