FIFA is aggressively pursuing a 2038 World Cup bid for the US, driven by unprecedented revenue from ticketing and hospitality, despite past TV rights deals leaving billions on the table. Donald Trump has publicly backed the idea, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino is expected to push for a swift decision.
The article reveals FIFA's strong desire for the United States to host the World Cup again in 2038, a sentiment openly supported by Donald Trump. This push is primarily fueled by the immense financial success of recent US-hosted events, with FIFA's revenue projections for the current cycle increasing from $11bn to $15bn, largely due to a staggering $5bn in ticketing and hospitality sales in the US, which for the first time, surpassed TV rights revenue. Despite this success, FIFA acknowledges it missed out on significant income from TV rights, particularly from the 2026 World Cup deal with Fox Sports. This deal, made without competitive bidding to avoid lawsuits over the Qatar 2022 schedule change, was a 'bargain' for Fox, which is now projected to make over $1bn from advertising. This has prompted ESPN, NBC, and even Netflix to express interest in aggressively bidding for future TV rights. Logistically, the article explains that the 2030 World Cup (split across three continents and six countries) and 2034 (Saudi Arabia) clear the path for a North American bid for 2038 under FIFA's rotation policy, despite no country hosting twice in 12 years previously. While the North American confederation, Concacaf, has some reservations, preferring to offer opportunities to other members, Trump himself prefers a sole US host. FIFA President Gianni Infantino is known for his swift decision-making, as demonstrated by the rapid selection of Saudi Arabia for 2034, and is expected to be re-elected unopposed, positioning him to drive the 2038 process. Trump's potential departure from office in January 2029 could become a de facto deadline for FIFA to secure the 2038 bid while he is still influential.
