Why the football World Cups are the teat everyone wants to squeeze

BarcelonaFive weeks of competition paralyzed the world during the celebration of the Men's Football World Cup. It has been the most important event of recent years and the Spanish team of Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Ferran Torres, Pedri and company celebrated the triumph in a final decided in extra time against Argentina (1-0). La roja was the best squad of the 48 that took part in the most extensive edition in dates and teams. FIFA, governed by the Italian Gianni Infantino, doubled down compared to the Qatar World Cup. More countries involved, more matches (104) and, ultimately, more money at stake. Even hydration breaks were normalized in the middle of both halves for advertising reasons.The revenue pie for this World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada amounts to $15 billion, according to data provided by FIFA itself, a sum that represents double (+100%) the figures obtained in the 2022 tournament. The prize money for the 48 participating federations rose to 655 million, 50% more than in Qatar. Spain, as the winning team, pocketed 50 million, a large part of which went to the players and coaches. 750,000 gross euros per footballer, that is, about 377,000 net in the case of those who play for Barça, where taxation is a little higher than in other regions of the state such as Madrid, Galicia, Navarre or the Basque Country.

This World Cup has also left spectacular figures in terms of attendance at the sixteen official stadiums. Despite the high price of tickets and accommodation, FIFA celebrated that the stadiums were filled with 6.5 million people in the 106 matches played. In the group stage alone, the following

in situ of the duels exceeded 4.6 million viewers. Regarding the percentage of stadium occupancy, the round of 16 marked a turning point. From then on, it approached 100%. The sign was usual full house on the screens of the venues that hosted the matches. In the final alone, the attendance at Spain-Argentina was 80,663 people.

The empowerment of small federations

The body that regulates world football projected 10 billion dollars in revenue for this World Cup, but increased forecasts by 50% thanks, in part, to imaginative formulas such as selling pieces of the turf on which the final was played for $3,000. It also participated in the ticket resale business and catering. The hot dogs sold just in the group stage are staggering: 300,000 were consumed. Laid end to end, the line would be 63 kilometers long.

The commercial appetite was also squeezed when selling advertising during broadcasts, with 30-second slots valued between $250,000 and $750,000. The hydration breaks alone generated an additional 500 million in ads.

Despite the poor spectacle in several matches, the accumulated fatigue in the footballers' legs due to an increasingly strained calendar, and the complaints from some national team coaches, this business model is a one-size-fits-all approach that strengthens Infantino at the helm of FIFA. The Italian leader is the main interested party in opening the World Cups to small federations that a few years ago could not imagine participating. For example, Cape Verde, one of the tournament's big surprises, received twelve million dollars in prize money. This empowerment helps Infantino receive support for his re-election, scheduled for 2027, and also for his plans to open the tournament to private investors for the 2030 World Cup, which will be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. All to continue doing business with the most universal sport.