North America promises record profit in 2026 World Cup bid
BRUSSELS: Leaders of North America’s bid for the 2026 World Cup urged Fifa voters to ignore the “politics of the moment” yesterday as they promised to deliver a record-breaking multi-billion-dollar profit for the global football showpiece.
In an address to the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) in Brussels, United States Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro said the 48team tournament would hand world governing body Fifa a record US$11 billion (RM43 billion) profit.
“I can announce today that, working with Fifa, we expect that a 2026 World Cup in North America would generate a new record: more than US$14 billion in revenue for Fifa,” said Cordeiro, one of the three cochairs of the bid.
“This includes profits for Fifa of nearly US$11 billion. In other words, the most successful and profitable Fifa World Cup ever,” Cordeiro added in prepared remarks to AIPS delegates.
The US-Canada-Mexico joint bid is battling against a rival bid from Morocco for the right to stage the 2026 tournament.
Fifa members will decide the winner of the bidding race at a vote in Moscow on June 13.
Long seen as the clear frontrunner for 2026, the North American bid is facing an increasingly stiff challenge from Morocco, which is bidding to become only the second African nation to host the World Cup.
Cordeiro’s remarks yesterday sought to underscore the commercial appeal of staging a World Cup in North America at a time when Fifa President Gianni Infantino is keen to boost revenue for world football’s ruling body.
A source told earlier this month that Fifa have spent US$600 million of their financial reserves in the past three years.
Infantino, who is said to favour the North American bid, also hopes to oversee the creation of a money-spinning Fifa Club World Cup.
North American bid leaders meanwhile provided a detailed breakdown of forecast revenues, predicting 5.8 million tickets would be sold, generating record gate money of US$2.5 billion. Commercial hospitality would generate another US$1-1.5 billion, Cordeiro said.
Cordeiro also projected a sponsorship bonanza, with Fortune 500 companies eager to sign on for the World Cup, leading to another US$3.6 billion.
Although Morocco’s bid has emphasised that its time zones make it attractive for European television schedules, Cordeiro said media revenues from a North American World Cup would top US$5 billion for the first time.
“Above and beyond that, the television rights from our United Bid — and our bid alone — would deliver a US$300 million guaranteed bonus payment to Fifa and global football,” he added. SHANGHAI: China’s Chongqing Lifan denied making a big-money move for Andres Iniesta as Spanish media said the Barcelona captain could now be headed for Japan or Australia.
Reports in China and Spain have linked Chongqing with the 33-year-old Spanish World Cupwinner, who is leaving Barcelona after two decades of phenomenal success.
Chongqing said Iniesta wouldn’t be joining “as a player” but left the door open to future cooperation with the midfielder, who has promotional and marketing links with the city.
Chongqing added that they wanted to support the “healthy development of Chinese football” — a reference to China’s clampdown on heavy transfer spending and focus on homegrown talent.
“Our club will never violate the development prospects of Chinese football and we are determined to make due contributions to the healthy development of Chinese football,” a statement said.