Infantino Projects $11bn FIFA Revenue, $30bn Economic Lift from 2026 World Cup

Story: Written by springnewsng February 24,2026
FIFA President Gianni Infantino says the 2026 World Cup is on course to deliver a historic financial payoff, with more than $11 billion in revenue expected for FIFA and an estimated $30 billion boost to the U.S. economy.
Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Infantino revealed that demand for tickets has surged well beyond expectations. FIFA has already logged over one million ticket requests covering 77 of the 104 matches planned across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Overall, applications have reportedly climbed to about 508 million requests for roughly seven million available seats. While FIFA insists the figures are authentic and verified through credit card checks, some critics argue automated bots may have inflated demand.
Infantino made the comments while attending the World Liberty Forum, an invite-only gathering held at Mar-a-Lago, owned by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ticket Pricing Debate
Despite record-breaking interest, FIFA’s ticket pricing has sparked backlash. Responding to affordability concerns, Infantino said the scale of demand shows pricing is not discouraging fans. He noted that the tournament is expected to sell out, later clarifying that tickets are not yet fully exhausted.
Beyond direct sales, FIFA is set to earn additional income from its official resale platform, where a 15 percent commission is charged to both buyers and sellers. Ticket requests, Infantino added, have come from more than 200 countries, highlighting the global pull of the expanded 48-team World Cup.