FIFA projects $9B revenue for World Cup 2026 as crypto partnerships reshape fan engagement

FIFA’s 2026 World Cup is on track to become the most lucrative sporting event in history, with projected revenue hitting approximately $9 billion. The financial bonanza is part of a broader four-year revenue cycle that FIFA expects to land somewhere between $11 billion and $13 billion. Ticketing and hospitality alone are targeted at over $3 billion, a figure buoyed by the expanded 48-team, 104-match format spread across the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Record crowds, record dollars

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has pointed to record daily attendance figures during the group stages as evidence that the expanded format is working.

Broadcasting rights and sponsorship deals form the backbone of that $9 billion projection. Reports of dynamic ticket pricing frustrating fans and allegations of political interference, including reports of US President Trump engaging with Infantino regarding player suspensions, have done little to dent the commercial machine.

Crypto enters the pitch

Kraken became the first Official Crypto Exchange Supporter for the World Cup on June 9, 2026. Alongside Kraken, ADI Predictstreet secured a multi-year partnership as the tournament’s official prediction market.

FIFA has also been building out its blockchain-based Collect platform, which offers digital collectibles and can even serve as a gateway to ticket access.

Fan tokens and the volatility question

While FIFA hasn’t launched its own cryptocurrency, fan tokens linked to platforms like Chiliz have seen heightened activity correlating with the tournament’s knockout stages. Unofficial meme coins have also emerged alongside these structured partnerships.

Kraken’s sponsorship deal, Predictstreet’s multi-year commitment, and FIFA’s own blockchain platform represent a level of organizational buy-in that didn’t exist four years ago. These are structured commercial partnerships with real revenue attached, distinct from the speculative token launches that characterized earlier crypto-sports integrations.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.