Caretta Research: 2026 World Cup Revenue Growth Due to More Matches; Rights Revenue Up 32%

An 11% decrease in number of global broadcast deals reflects the organization's move to fewer partnerships with higher individual values

Caretta Research forecasts a record $8.9 billion in total revenue for the 2026 World Cup, representing a 54% rise over the 2022 tournament. This growth is driven predominantly by the rise in commercial and matchday revenues, with sports rights sold to media also contributing.

The key factor in the jump from $5.8 billion to $8.9 billion is FIFA's decision to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, triggering a 47% growth in match inventory: from 64 matches in 2022 to 104 matches in 2026.

The 40 additional matches have bolstered FIFA's financial results by providing more content to sell and greater utilization of stadium assets. Matchday revenue is the fastest-growing segment, forecast to grow 220% from 2022, a result of both increased ticket volume and rising prices across ticketing and hospitality offerings.

Commercial revenue is forecast to increase by nearly $300 million this year, an 18% jump from 2022. That includes both traditional advertising and new placements, such as cooling breaks and the expanded 11-minute halftime Super Bowl-style show, which will extend halftime to 25-30 minutes at the final.

Although revenue from sports rights sold to media organizations is forecast to increase by $1 billion (up 32% from 2022), its overall share of total revenue will be reduced, falling below the 50% threshold for the first time since at least 1998, when the tournament format changed to comprise 32 teams. As a direct result of the 47% expansion in the number of matches broadcast, the rights value per game has decreased by 19%.

Time-Zone Differences Produce Contrasting Broadcast-Deal Trends

The primary factor contributing to this reduction in sports-rights deals is the North American time zones, which present a significant difficulty for international media. For prime audiences in Europe and Asia, many live matches occur in the middle of the night. Because overnight audiences generate less traditional TV advertising revenue, secondary broadcasters and sub-licensers have stepped away from the market entirely.

The total volume of global broadcast deals has dropped by 11%, from 495 in 2022 to 443 in 2026. When contrasted with the overall rise in sports-rights revenue, the drop highlights FIFA's shift toward fewer broadcast partnerships with substantially higher individual values.

In Asia, the total number of broadcast deals fell by 21%, mainly because regional partnership agreements plummeted from 60 to 24. This forced a move toward local networks to ensure that matches could still be shown, which pushed the number of single-country buyers up from 35 to 51. However, the lack of competition meant that FIFA had to accept much lower fees to avoid broadcast blackouts, most notably with the deal for China's CCTV, which dropped from $250 million to $60 million.

The media landscape is vastly different in regions with time zones more closely aligned with North America. In Latin America and the Caribbean, where match times are ideal for viewers, the total number of broadcast deals rose by 18%. This was boosted by an 80% increase in teams from the region, with the number of participating nations rising from five to nine. Instead of leaving a single network to cover the cost of showing the tournament, regional networks and streaming platforms are increasingly collaborating to share the burden. This has led to a 22% increase in partnerships across multiple territories, ensuring that matches were broadcast live during peak viewing times.

Even though FIFA is set for record-breaking total revenue in 2026, the international broadcast landscape is becoming increasingly difficult, says Evangelos Vrysellas, research analyst, Caretta Research. Media rights now represent a smaller portion of the overall revenue pie, with the value of each individual match dropping by 19%. The combination of middle-of-the-night kickoffs for major global markets and rising production expenses has discouraged many potential bidders, leading to an 11% drop in the total number of broadcast deals.

Through Caretta Portal, Caretta Research provides the expert research and proprietary analysis that rights owners, buyers, and technology vendors need to make confident, data-backed decisions. By focusing on where sports rights, media buyers, and technology meet, Caretta Research helps clients drive commercial results through actionable intelligence and granular transparency into the global sports landscape. It's delivered through Caretta Portal, an AI-enabled source of industry-specific market intelligence and addressable market sizing, alongside Caretta Consulting. A team of 25 people uses a combined 250+ years of specialist experience to ensure every engagement is backed by deep industry knowledge. These insights are grounded in continuous hands-on research and an extensive network of senior industry contacts, ensuring recommendations reflect real-world buying drivers.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/06/10/caretta-research-2026-world-cup...
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