Football consolidates itself as a US$286 billion global business with the World Cup.
The 2026 World Cup, held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, has solidified football as one of the biggest businesses on the planet. The tournament, expanded to 48 teams, is expected to draw over 6,8 million fans to the stadiums and reach an estimated audience of 1,8 billion people for the final, according to FIFA.
The financial dimension of sports goes far beyond stadiums, according to an analysis published by Valor. The global volume of sports betting has grown by 50% since 2022 and is projected to reach US$123,4 billion in 2026, according to the "Sports Betting Market" study by Grand View Research. Football accounts for about half of this total; in Europe and Latin America, the share exceeds 70%. This money returns to the sport in the form of sponsorships and advertising, boosting revenues for clubs and leagues worldwide.
The impact of betting on Brazilian football illustrates the scale of the phenomenon. The country's top 20 clubs increased their combined revenue from R$9 billion in 2022 to R$15 billion last year, according to the consultancy Sports Value. A significant portion of this expansion is attributed to the explosion of betting as a source of sponsorship.
Economic dimension of the tournament
FIFA estimates it will earn up to US$13 billion in the 2022-2026 cycle, which includes this World Cup. This more than doubles the US$7,5 billion recorded in the previous cycle, the Qatar World Cup, which featured 32 teams. In comparison, the NFL recorded almost US$25 billion in revenue in the 2025-26 season, and the NBA, US$14,3 billion; however, these competitions have a much longer duration and a greater number of games than a World Cup.
A Bank of America study, released in June 2026, estimated that the World Cup had the potential to add approximately US$41 billion to global GDP and generate more than 800 jobs worldwide that year. Part of this impact would come from unprecedented digital engagement, as it was the first edition with intensive use of artificial intelligence.
European football, in turn, reached a record revenue of €40,2 billion in the 2024/25 season, according to the "Annual Review of Football Finance 2026" by the consulting firm Deloitte. This figure only includes ticket sales, television rights, and commercial deals involving clubs, leagues, and entities; it excludes indirect expenses such as fan transportation, infrastructure, and sports media.
Betting and payouts
The compensation of top players follows the expansion of the business. Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest-paid athlete in the world, receives around US$300 million annually. For comparison, this year's ranking by the consulting firm The Motley Fool points to Niraj Shah of Wayfair as the highest-paid CEO on the planet, with US$280,8 million annually; a lower amount than the Portuguese player. Kylian Mbappé, in turn, has compensation close to that of Lip-Bu Tan, CEO of Intel.
In 2022, FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated that football generated US$286 billion annually, a figure that would place the sport among the 50 largest economies in the world, comparable to Finland's GDP. No detailed study has been released to corroborate this number. With the growth of betting and the impact of this World Cup, current projections suggest that this level may have been surpassed.
Near borders
With this edition, soccer has made inroads into the United States, a market still dominated by American football, basketball, ice hockey, and baseball. Asia, which accounts for half the world's population and 40% of global GDP, is seen as the next frontier for the sport's expansion.
Saudi Arabia, host of the 2034 World Cup, plans to spend US$26 billion on the construction and renovation of 15 stadiums and the expansion of infrastructure for the tournament. The expansion to 48 teams also reinforced FIFA's political influence; the distribution of additional places to continental confederations, combined with the increased distribution of financial resources, contributed to Infantino's re-election as president of the organization twice without any competitors.
