There has been tension between FIFA and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) over the 2026 World Cup.
Eduardo Burgos Rodríguezedu17burgosKieran Quailekquaile90Update: Sep 22nd, 2023 11:27 EDT
MEG OLIPHANTAFP
With three years to go until another World Cup kicks off, FIFA is encountering a number of problems. According to The Athletic, one of the most important host venues in 2026 could walk away from the tournament.
The report suggests there has been an increase tension between FIFA and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), owner of the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, one of the key venues for the World Cup.
Several sources indicate that KSE would not be happy with how FIFA would try to distribute the income to be received during the World Cup between the cities and the stadiums. Stadium owners “expected the initial payments (the investment for the tournament) to be recouped through commercial assets”, such as sponsorship, ticket sales and food sales during matches. However, these conditions have not materialised in the way the Kroenke family had hoped.
There are not, as of yet, clear revenue ps for cities and stadiums, although FIFA projected last December that the four-year cycle leading up to the 2026 World Cup could generate an estimated $11 billion in revenue in total, with $3.1 billion expected to be driven through ticket sales and hospitality. As such, The Athletic notes that “the Kroenke’s would be convinced to walk away from the tournament unless FIFA renegotiates the deal”, seeking to take a bigger slice of the pie.
SoFi Stadium
SoFi Stadium is currently the most expensive stadium ever built in the United States. Estimated to cost more than $5 billion, the Los Angeles-based venue can hold over 80,000 spectators. It opened in 2020 and just two years later hosted the 2022 Super Bowl final between the Los Angeles Rams and Bengals. It is also expected to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
