Infantino Targets $1B Revenue For 2027 Women’s World Cup

Globe-trotting FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, continued his diplomatic tour this week, appearing at the Saudi Arabia-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh where he outlined bold revenue targets for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The ambitious FIFA chief is targeting $1 billion in revenue for the tournament – nearly double the $570 million generated during the 2023 edition in Australia and New Zealand.

“Women’s football and women in football are crucially important,” said Infantino. “It’s growing exponentially, and we are targeting to have $1 billion revenue just with the Women’s World Cup to reinvest in the women’s game.”

Brazil 2027 will mark the first Women’s World Cup in South America, though the nation has twice hosted the men’s tournament (1950 and 2014). Looking further ahead, the United States is positioned to host an expanded 48-team tournament in 2031, up from the current 32-nation format.

With Europe and the U.S. currently the driving forces behind women’s soccer revenue, Infantino believes emerging markets offer substantial growth potential.

“If the rest of the world, in particular Saudi Arabia or the United States of America, would do just 20% of what Europe does in soccer, we [could reach an amount of over] half a trillion [dollars] or more of GDP impact,” he added.

“Saudi Arabia is doing exceptionally well by creating a women’s league and national team. Women’s football is really the only team sport for women that has such a huge audience and impact.”

Since assuming FIFA’s presidency in 2016, following the tumultuous end of Sepp Blatter’s reign, Infantino has overseen dramatic expansion of FIFA’s tournaments and commercial interests.

The Swiss-Italian executive, who previously served as UEFA’s General Secretary, has pursued an aggressive globalisation strategy.

As women’s football continues its dramatic growth trajectory, with revenues being reinvested into development, the sport appears positioned to become the leading platform for female athletes worldwide – with Infantino determined to keep FIFA at the centre of this evolution.

Insideworldfootball.com