• The FIFA Council, meeting on Friday in Doha on the sidelines of the World Cup in Qatar, adopted a budget that rose sharply to 11 billion dollars in revenue (10.3 million euros) for its next cycle 2023-2026 , against 7.5 billion dollars (7.2 billion euros) on the current one with a World Cup with 32 selections.

  • Gianni Infantino has also promised to re-examine the format initially mentioned of 16 groups of three teams at the World Cup-2026.

    If the option of 12 groups of four were chosen, with two qualified per group as well as the eight best third, this would automatically increase the number of matches.

    As luck would have it...

Everything is fine at FIFA, thanks for them.

The International Football Federation anticipates record revenues of $ 11 billion over its next four-year cycle, driven by the expansion to 48 teams of the World Cup-2026, its president Gianni Infantino announced on Friday.

The latter especially promised to come back to the controversial idea of ​​​​organizing 16 groups of three teams at the next edition.



The FIFA Council, meeting on Friday in Doha on the sidelines of the World Cup in Qatar, adopted a budget that rose sharply to 11 billion dollars in revenue (10.3 million euros) for its next cycle 2023-2026 , against 7.5 billion dollars (7.2 billion euros) on the current one with a World Cup with 32 selections.

Reform desired in 2017 by Infantino, the 48-team World Cup organized in 2026 in Canada, the United States and Mexico should significantly increase the number of matches played during the tournament.

For now, the total is capped at 64 matches.

This increase should be synonymous with additional television revenue for the most prestigious of competitions, FIFA's golden egg hen, which derives the vast majority of its income from it.

"The impact of the 2026 World Cup will be enormous"

For the current cycle, the figure of 7.5 billion dollars, already revealed on November 20, exceeds the initial estimate by one billion, which is “quite remarkable” in a time of pandemic, judged Infantino.

“We are convinced that the impact [of the World Cup-2026] will be enormous, as it has been here [in Qatar], with three big countries, 48 ​​teams, more matches…”, he declared during of a press conference organized before the closing of the 2022 World Cup on Sunday in Qatar.

“Revenues will increase in terms of broadcasting, sponsors, hospitality.

We will play in huge stadiums usually dedicated to American football, with capacities of 80,000 to 90,000 seats, "he added, saying he expected the influx of 5.5 million supporters.

The Italian-Swiss leader has also promised to re-examine the format initially mentioned of 16 groups of three teams, which left the risk of an implicit agreement between two teams for their third group match.

If the option of 12 groups of four were chosen, with two qualified per group as well as the eight best third, this would automatically increase the number of matches.

As luck would have it...

“Here [in Qatar], the groups of four were absolutely amazing until the last minute of every game.

We have to reconsider that, at least re-discuss the format, if it's 16 groups of three, or 12 groups of four… It will be on the agenda for the next few weeks,” he said.

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  • World Cup 2022

  • Sport

  • Soccer

  • Fifa

  • Qatar

  • Gianni Infantino