FIFA Revenue Soars Amid Biennial World Cup Push

FIFA is on pace for record revenue for a four-year cycle as it pushes to move to biennial World Cups.

Soccer’s global governing body said it notched 2021 revenue of $766.5 million in its annual report, a 187% increase from 2020’s $266.5 million.

• Marketing sales accounted for $131 million of FIFA’s 2021 revenue, namely due to $93 million in partnership agreements. 
• Broadcast rights accounted for another $123 million.
• FIFA said it has already brought in $6.1 billion in the four-year cycle beginning in 2019, 95% of the way to its target of $6.4 billion — and that’s before this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

The organization’s total assets grew 21% in 2021 to $5.5 billion.

Doubling Down

Despite facing widespread opposition, FIFA continues to push for biennial men’s and women’s World Cups. The annual report laid out financial incentives for its 211 member associations.

The organization proposed a $3.5 billion solidarity fund, which would supply an average of $16 million to each member organization. The fund would be fueled by a projected $4.4 billion revenue increase from doubling the frequency of the worldwide tournament.

Bundled with a 50% increase in existing funding mechanisms to $9 million for each member organization, FIFA said that its biennial plan would increase member distributions from $6 million to $25 million in the first four-year cycle.