World Cup 2026 race: United 2026's $11 billion play

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, May 8, 2018

United 2026, the World Cup 2026 bid committee working on behalf of the USA, Canada and Mexico, offers three slogans: "United," "Certainty" and "Opportunity."

It should add a fourth: "Money."

The essential argument United 2026 is making is that struggling FIFA will get a big pay-day if its members award United 2026 the World Cup 2026 hosting rights at the FIFA Congress on June 13 in Moscow.

At a media presentation by United 2026 and Morocco in Brussels on Tuesday, U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro, one of three United 2026 co-chairmen, outlined the financial incentives of playing the 2026 World Cup in North America:

-- $14 billion in revenues (including $2.5 billion in ticket revenue);
-- Nearly $11 billion in profits to FIFA.

By comparison, FIFA projects to receive only $6.56 billion in revenues during the 2018-22 cycle from the Qatar World Cup.

The World Cup 2026 projections take into account an expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams and 64 to 80 games. But United 2026 touts higher revenues from ticket sales (larger stadiums), sponsorship (increased interest from American companies) and television ($300 million "bonus" to FIFA from Fox and Telemundo if the 2026 World Cup is held in North America).

FIFA lost $369 million in 2016 and $192 million in 2017 as the organization has been hit hard by drops in sponsorship revenues in the wake of the organization's corruption scandals that reached a peak in 2015.

"We are generating what is in the best interest of football," said Cordeiro in an interview with AIPS, the organizer of the event. "A profit of this magnitude is unprecedented in any single-sport event in the world. That has to sink in. In terms of value, it could mean $50 million more per association.”

On other issues related to the United 2026 bid:

-- The U.S. government pledged it would grant visas to visitors without regard to religion or national origin. How the Trump administration would respond in wake of its position on travel bans has been issue.

-- Cordeiro said he hoped FIFA members would not let any issues related to President Donald Trump's comments taint their positions.

"Let me acknowledge up front," said Cordeiro, "that, as with many international bids over the years, the question of who will host in 2026 has at times become mixed with geopolitics. We are asking that we be judged, not on the politics of the moment, but on the merits of our bid."