Washington: The expanded 48-team tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, is already witnessing unprecedented brand and broadcaster interest ahead of kickoff in June 2026.
Ampere Analysis estimates that media rights revenues for the 2026 edition will reach at least $3.8 billion, marking a 22 per cent increase compared to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Sponsorship revenues are projected to hit $2.4 billion, a sharp 37 per cent rise over the previous tournament.
The United States has emerged as the biggest commercial driver behind the tournament’s growth. According to Ampere, the value of media rights in the US has surged by 94 per cent compared to 2022, boosted heavily by the country’s role as one of the host nations. US-based companies now contribute 52 per cent of all sponsorship revenue linked to the event, up from 36 per cent during the last World Cup.
“This edition of the FIFA Men’s World Cup is attracting record levels of sponsorship investment due to the increase in participating teams and the expanded number of matches,” said Chloe Ng-Triquet, sponsorship analyst at Ampere Analysis.
She added that brands are capitalising on every possible activation opportunity during the tournament, including additional hydration breaks that create more advertising inventory during matches.
Major global brands including Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa continue to remain closely associated with the World Cup, while new sponsors such as DoorDash, Bank of America and ADI Predict Street have also entered the sponsorship landscape.
The most represented sponsorship categories currently include food, beverages and travel, featuring companies such as Qatar Airways, American Airlines, Budweiser and Marriott Bonvoy.
While traditional television broadcasters remain the dominant buyers of World Cup rights, streaming platforms are also increasing investments. Ampere noted that DAZN will stream the tournament in markets including Japan, Italy and Spain.
Despite the tournament’s commercial boom, FIFA is yet to finalise a media rights agreement in India. Negotiations continue amid differences in valuation expectations between FIFA and broadcasters. Industry estimates currently value India rights for the 2026 tournament at around $10-15 million, significantly lower than FIFA’s earlier expectations.
Zee Entertainment has emerged as one of the contenders for the rights alongside JioStar, as FIFA intensifies discussions with broadcasters and streaming platforms ahead of the tournament.