Qatar forked out hundreds of billions of dollars to prepare the country for the 2022 World Cup — and early data suggest fans spent big too.
Fans spent 39% more on in-stadium purchases than the 2018 World Cup in Russia, according to data from Visa — the tournament’s official payment provider.Only Visa-branded cards were accepted for in-stadium purchases during the tournament across its eight stadiums in Qatar.
Fans from the U.S., Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, and the U.K. spent the most money at the World Cup.
FIFA stands to see more spending at the 2026 World Cup as it will expand from 32 teams to 48.
The spending has already resulted in favorable results for soccer’s governing body. FIFA reported $7.5 billion in revenue for the 2019-22 commercial cycle — $1 billion more than it budgeted. The governing body projects to earn $11 billion for the 2023-26 commercial cycle.