FIFA targets $11 billion in revenue through 2026 World Cup
Associated PressDOHA, Qatar — FIFA expects to earn $11 billion in the 2026 World Cup cycle with a 48-team men’s tournament in North America set to deliver a big increase in revenue amid ongoing uncertainty about the exact match schedule. The FIFA Council agreed in January 2017 to have an 80-game format with teams playing in 16 groups of three ahead of a 32-team knockout round. However, more than five years after the 2026 format was decided, FIFA officials this year suggested a 104-game format with teams playing in 12 groups of four before a 32-team knockout stage. A 104-game format would likely add several days to the previously expected 32-day tournament, which will be played in 16 North American cities: 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada.