Arabic version: الفيفا والرعاة يجنون الأرباح بينما يعاني المشجعون والفنادق
The expanded 48-team World Cup has generated unprecedented commercial revenue, but the gains have been uneven across stakeholders.
According to BBC News, Marion Laboure of Deutsche Bank Research says Fifa is “without question” the main winner, with revenues over the four-year cycle approaching $13bn. Fifa generated a record $7.6bn from Qatar 2022 and is expected to top that in the US, Canada and Mexico tournament, drawing income from broadcasting, licensing, hospitality, sponsorships, ticket sales and a 15% fee on its official ticket resale marketplace.
Broadcasters and official sponsors have also benefited. Broadcasters that paid large sums for rights can sell high-priced advertising slots, with experts saying average 30-second ads on Fox cost $200,000–$300,000 and reached as much as $750,000 during US matches in the final stages. Fox reportedly paid $485m for US broadcast rights and introduced hydration breaks presented as sponsored inventory. Major brands such as Adidas and Coca-Cola have visible placement across the competition, and commercial figures tied to clubs and personalities persist off the pitch; the article notes Inter Miami is estimated to be Major League Soccer’s most valuable franchise at $1.45bn.
Not everyone has profited. Fans faced steep ticket and travel costs, with dynamic pricing increasing prices sharply; official final tickets were offered at $32,970 and some resale tickets listed for more than $2m. Incidental costs spiked too — a cited example shows a New Jersey Transit ticket for the stadium rose to $150 from the usual $12.90 return fare before being reduced. Host cities saw short-term boosts in hospitality and hiring, but experts argue the long-term economic benefits are limited, with typical post-tournament drops in visitors and predominantly lower-paid jobs. Hotels reported lower bookings than expected, and the lack of new development for this tournament reduced opportunities for lasting local investment.
Why this matters: the tournament’s commercial model — expansion to more teams and more matches — increases global viewership and advertising inventory, concentrating large revenues with Fifa, broadcasters and sponsors while passing higher event-related costs to fans and providing limited lasting gains to many host-city economies.
What happens next: Fifa is considering further expansion to 64 teams, which could broaden the commercial scale and audience according to the same reporting.
Related sections: General | Sports/الرياضة | World/العالم | Economy/اقتصاد | Arab
