FIFA's profits between 2023 and 2026: from yearly deficits to record numbers thanks to the 2026 World Cup

FIFA relies on a cyclical financial model tied to the World Cup calendar: a deficit during the first three years of each cycle, followed by a massive profit in the tournament year. The figures for the 2023-2026 cycle illustrate this pattern clearly.

A deficit across the first three years

• 2023: a deficit of $390 million
• 2024: a deficit of $616 million
• 2025: a deficit of $248 million

That's a combined deficit of $1.25 billion over these three years.

The 2026 World Cup turns the tide

FIFA nonetheless expects record revenues of nearly $13 billion across the full 2023-2026 cycle, up roughly 72% from the 2019-2022 cycle, which generated $7.57 billion. This surge is driven by the tournament's expansion from 32 to 48 teams and 104 matches, which has sharply boosted revenue from broadcasting rights, sponsorship, and ticketing.

Thanks to these massive revenues tied to the 2026 World Cup, FIFA expects a net profit of over $1 billion for the entire financial cycle, despite the deficits recorded in the three years leading up to the tournament.

Comparison with the Qatar 2022 cycle

By comparison, FIFA generated just $7.57 billion across the whole 2019-2022 cycle, with $5.77 billion of that coming from the 2022 World Cup year in Qatar alone. Revenue from that Qatar edition reached around $7 billion, a figure far below current projections for 2026.

FIFA also holds financial reserves exceeding $5 billion in assets, including $2.7 billion in strategic reserves, giving it room to absorb cyclical deficit periods between World Cup editions.