FIFA Club World Cup Could Generate $21.1B In Global GDP

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup distributed a record-breaking $1 billion prize pool to participating football clubs, as sporting franchises and corporations seek to leverage global competitions to drive revenue growth and enhance their brand.

England's Chelsea FC defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey during the 32-team competition in the US. President Donald J Trump attended the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

The team made an estimated $153 million, the largest single-tournament payout in the history of club football. The tournament, which featured a group stage and knockout rounds, included $475 million tied to sporting performance and $525 million awarded based on participation.

Europe's clubs received between $12.81 million and $38.19 million in base participation funds, while clubs from South America earned $15.21 million each, and those from Asia, Africa, and North America received $9.55 million. Oceania's sole representative, Auckland City, earned $3.58 million.

International sporting events, such as FIFA's Club World Cup, have become a vital source of revenue for participants, sponsors, and corporations. The global sports market will grow from $484.9 billion in 2023 to $651 billion by 2028, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1%, according to data from Research and Markets.

"Going forward, rise in sports tourism, rise in e-commerce platforms, rising disposable income and increase in globalization of sports will drive the growth," it said in May last year.

FIFA Club Cup Adds $9.6B to US Economy

The FIFA Club World Cup, for example, has potentially generated as much as $21.1 billion in global GDP, with $9.6 billion of that in the US alone, according to FIFA.

The tournament drew over 3.7 million attendees to 11 US cities, created more than 105,000 jobs, and unlocked $3.36 billion in social benefits, according to studies by OpenEconomics. Although the Club World Cup is smaller in scale, its economic impact per match and team is unparalleled.

In comparison, the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico may generate $40.9 billion in global GDP. Of that amount, the US could receive as much as $17.2 billion, resulting in the addition of 185,000 jobs to the economy.

“48 national teams will compete in 78 matches RIGHT HERE IN THE USA," President Trump said in May. "These events will also generate tens of billions of dollars in economic activity… and create thousands and thousands of jobs for American workers.”

Hotels, Merchandise Suppliers Will Benefit from World Cup

Hotels, beverage suppliers, and merchandise suppliers stand to benefit from the World Cup next year. Hotel chains Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) and Hilton Hotels (NYSE:HLT) both have a significant presence in 16 cities hosting the tournament.

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) is an official beer partner. This will likely boost its brand through enhanced visibility and sales opportunities at venues. Diageo Plc (NYSE:DEO) and The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE:KO) are also likely to benefit.

Coca-Cola is a key component of the S&P 500 Consumer Staples Index, which is up 7.35% year-to-date. The index is slightly outperforming the broad market, as the S&P 500 is up 6.73%.

FIFA's top-tier partners for the 2026 World Cup are Saudi Aramco, Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Corp., Lenovo Group Ltd, Qatar Airways Co., and Visa Inc. Other sponsors include Bank of America Corp., McDonald's Corp., Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy Co., Ltd., Unilever PLC, and Verizon Communications Inc.

Meanwhile, Adidas AG (OTCQX:ADDDF) has an advantage in the merchandise category.

As a long-standing FIFA partner, the company holds broad licensing and marketing rights until 2030. While the football jersey market was valued at $7.62 billion in 2024, tournaments have the potential to drive sales as high as 40%.

Chelsea Profits Big, But Faces Financial Sanctions

Chelsea, which started the tournament with a $37.7 million participation fee, earned an additional $4 million for two group stage wins, and then collected $7.5 million for reaching the round of 16.

They made $13 million for quarterfinals before collecting $21 million in the semifinals. The finalist’s bonus was $30 million, topped by the winner’s bonus of $40 million.

Club World Cup success gave Chelsea a significant boost in transfer flexibility. The winnings will help cover much of their $252 million summer spending. However, the team will need to consider a significant fine.

UEFA fined the club up to $78.5 million for breaching its Financial Sustainability Regulations. The fines included $26.7 million in unconditional penalties and up to $51.8 million in conditional fines.

UEFA Clamps Down on Financial Irresponsibility

UEFA stated that Chelsea's squad cost ratio was between 80% and 90%. This is well above the permitted 70% threshold for 2024.

"The CFCB First Chamber found that Aston Villa, Chelsea, Barcelona, Lyon, and others breached the squad cost rule," UEFA said in a statement. All clubs agreed to settlement agreements, which include fines and restrictions on registering new players."

Chelsea acknowledged the violations in a statement.

"The club has worked closely and transparently with UEFA to provide a full and detailed breakdown of its financial reporting," it said.

Auckland City Wins Big On A Small Budget

While Chelsea walked away with the most considerable sum, part-time club Auckland City emerged as the biggest winner in relative terms. Despite a record 10-0 defeat to Germany's Bayern Munich, the New Zealand club earned $3.58 million, over seven times their estimated 2024 revenue of $488,000.

"They have earned so much money that it's difficult to see anybody being able to compete with them if they invest in the playing squad," Football finance analyst Kieran Maguire said. "It's good for them, but not necessarily good for the league."

UEFA Imposes Financial Fair Play in 2025

The UEFA Financial Sustainability Regulations, which entirely replaced the former Financial Fair Play rules in the 2025-26 season, impose a strict limit. Clubs may spend no more than 70% of their revenue on player and coach wages, transfers, and agent fees.

Phased in 2023, the regulation also permits a maximum loss of $65 million over three years, extendable to $87 million if covered by ownership injection.

Clubs that breach these limits face escalating penalties, including fines, restrictions on registering new players, and in severe cases, exclusion from European competition.

The new framework also mandates fair market valuation of transactions and strict payment deadlines to ensure financial transparency and discipline.

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