Controversy Won’t Stop Record Revenue at FIFA World Cup

Qatar continues to face criticism over its human rights abuses in the leadup to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but the sport’s governing body is likely unbothered.

The tournament, which begins on Nov. 20, is expected to deliver record revenue for FIFA, topping the roughly $5.4 billion Russia brought in at the 2018 World Cup.

FIFA has already sold around 240,000 hospitality packages, nearly 3 million tickets, and broadcasting rights — Fox and Telemundo purchased rights to the 2018 and 2022 tournaments in 2011 for a reported $1 billion combined.

The body is expected to beat multiple financial targets for its 2019-2022 cycle, according to Bloomberg, primarily due to the World Cup.

• FIFA will likely surpass its revenue target of $6.4 billion.
• In that time, marketing sales are projected to outpace their budgeted $1.8 billion.

Meanwhile, Qatar anticipates $17 billion in economic impact. 

Persistent Protests

On Thursday, the Danish Football Association said FIFA rejected Denmark’s request to wear shirts that say “Human Rights for All” while they train at the World Cup. The announcement comes shortly after FIFA warned World Cup teams to focus on soccer.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter said earlier this week it was a mistake to award Qatar the tournament, and was quoted in a Swiss paper on Friday saying FIFA should bar Iran from the tournament after a woman died in custody of the morality police.