WeeklySA_AdminFEVER: Fifa boss Gianni Infantino says the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026 will generate an estimated more than R1 trillion in economic impact and captivate billions globally, while Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazário predicts the tournament will be the ‘most beautiful competition ever’…
By WSAM Correspondent
FIFA President Gianni Infantino told the FII PRIORITY investment Summit in Miami, United States, that the FIFA World Cup 2026™ will deliver a huge economic impact and predicted “the world will stand still” for the tournament.
Speaking to attendees at the summit, organised by the Future Investment Initiative, a non-profit run by Saudi Arabia’s main sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, Infantino made clear that the FIFA World Cup, which begins on Thursday, 11 June 2026 will be a transformative event.
“Sixteen fantastic host cities in these countries, that 48 teams, 48 countries will participate (in). They will play 104 matches in 39 days, which is basically the equivalent of, for the Americans in the room, 104 Super Bowls in a little bit more than one month,” he said.
The FIFA President said that, even before a ball has been kicked in Canada, Mexico and the United States, the global interest to witness this tournament from stadiums had been in the many millions, with billions are expected to engage from across the globe. “So, the world will stand still, and everyone will be focusing on what is going on in North America, 76 days from now,” he said.
“It is powerful, it is important. I could tell you all that, I could speak to you as well because we are amongst investors and economists about the economic impact of the (FIFA) World Cup. It’s around USD 80 billion dollars.” Mr Infantino added that the tournament would create hundreds of thousands of jobs and deliver lasting social benefits across communities.
The FIFA President was joined on stage by Brazilian FIFA Legend Ronaldo, who won the FIFA World Cup with Brazil in 1994 and 2002, who said he expected the tournament to be “the best and most beautiful competition ever”. It is also a tournament that is close to the Brazilian legend’s heart.
“For me, playing with the international team was always a dream since I was a kid. Winning the (FIFA) World Cup is like the biggest achievement I have ever, ever had,” he said.
Tickets for sale
Meanwhile, tickets for the 2026 World Cup are still available, with the final last-minute sales phase beginning on April 1 at FIFA.com/tickets. Tickets for the upcoming March 2026 Play-Off Tournament in Mexico are also currently on sale. Warning: Only buy tickets from FIFA.com to avoid invalid tickets from unauthorized third-party platforms.
