The World Cup Is FIFA's Cash Cow

The FIFA World Cup is not only one of the largest sporting events in the world, it is also a huge business. Mainly thanks to the sale of broadcasting and marketing rights, FIFA generates billions in revenue every four years and, as the following chart illustrates, enjoys a sizeable surplus after accounting for all costs.

Looking at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil for example, FIFA’s revenue amounted to $4.83 billion compared to just $2.22 billion in expenses. While TV rights ($2.43 billion) and marketing rights ($1.58b) were the biggest items on the plus side for FIFA, contributions to the local organizing committee ($453 million), TV production costs ($370m) and prize money ($358m) were FIFA’s biggest expenses for the 2014 tournament.

Interestingly FIFA set aside just $100 million for the FIFA World Cup Legacy Fund, which is meant to sustain the long-term impact of the tournament by financing infrastructure projects and other initiatives in the host country. Considering FIFA’s surplus of $2.6 billion, it seems like football’s global governing body could do even more to leave a meaningful legacy in the countries that set the stage for its biggest show.