The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to generate a record-breaking $8.9 billion in revenue, according to new research from Caretta Research. While the tournament’s overall financial outlook is stronger than ever, the value of media rights on a per-match basis is heading in the opposite direction.
Total revenue is forecast to increase by 54 percent compared to the $5.8 billion generated during the 2022 World Cup. The main reason behind the surge is FIFA’s expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, increasing the number of matches from 64 to 104.
The addition of 40 extra games has created significantly more inventory for FIFA to sell, boosting commercial opportunities, ticket sales and hospitality revenue. Matchday income is projected to be the fastest-growing revenue stream, rising by 220 percent compared to the previous tournament.
Commercial revenue is also expected to increase, driven by new sponsorship opportunities, expanded advertising inventory and innovations such as cooling-break sponsorships and an extended Super Bowl-style halftime show for the final. According to the report, commercial income will grow by nearly $300 million, an 18 percent increase from 2022.
Revenue from media rights is still expected to rise by approximately $1 billion, reaching a 32 percent increase compared to the last World Cup. However, because the number of matches has grown by 47 percent, the average value of each individual game has fallen by 19 percent.
For the first time since at least 1998, media rights are expected to account for less than half of FIFA’s total World Cup revenue.
North American time zone creates challenges
Caretta Research identifies time-zone differences as one of the biggest factors affecting international broadcast deals.
Many matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be played at times that fall overnight in key television markets across Europe and Asia. As a result, several broadcasters and sublicensing partners have scaled back their involvement due to weaker advertising potential and rising production costs.
Globally, the number of broadcast agreements has declined by 11 percent, falling from 495 deals in 2022 to 443 ahead of the 2026 tournament.
Asia has experienced the sharpest decline. The number of broadcasting agreements in the region has dropped by 21 percent, with regional partnerships falling from 60 to just 24. In China, FIFA reportedly accepted a significantly lower fee from CCTV, with the deal value dropping from $250 million during the previous cycle to $60 million.
By contrast, markets located closer to North American time zones have become increasingly attractive. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the number of broadcast agreements has increased by 18 percent, helped by a rise in participating teams from the region and stronger collaboration between broadcasters and streaming platforms.
According to Caretta Research analyst Evangelos Vrysellas, FIFA is benefiting from record overall revenues, but the global media landscape is becoming more challenging.
“Even though FIFA is set for record-breaking total revenue in 2026, media rights now represent a smaller share of the overall revenue mix, while the value of each individual match has fallen by 19 percent,” Vrysellas said.
“The combination of overnight kick-off times in major international markets and rising production costs has discouraged many potential bidders, contributing to an 11 percent decline in the total number of broadcast agreements.”
Despite those challenges, FIFA remains on course for the most lucrative World Cup in history, powered by an expanded tournament format and growing commercial opportunities across the competition.