Are you ready for some football? We obviously know it as soccer, but no matter what you call it, the beautiful game is set to captivate the globe as the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off from Qatar November 20. Though the U.S. Men’s National Team didn’t make the cut in 2018, they have qualified for this year’s tournament and are matched up first against Wales on November 21.
The World Cup means putting an even bigger spotlight on soccer in the United States. Interest in soccer among American consumers has been steadily rising with the aid of a number of important tailwinds – including the popularity of youth soccer, MLS stability and America’s growing immigrant population. The sport’s popularity has also been helped by high-profile wins for U.S. teams, including the U.S. Women’s National Team’s victories in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, as well as their bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
But will it pay off in the end – for the home nation, the U.S. squad, or the companies fueling this global sporting spectacle? While it’s difficult to say for sure, WalletHub crunched the numbers and asked the experts in order to gain a bit of added insight into the grand event. Hopefully the resulting 2022 World Cup By The Numbers Infographic and Q&A with leading experts in the fields of sport management and economics will make your viewing experience as enjoyable and enlightening as possible.
7 FIFA World Cup 2022 Facts:
- $220 Billion: Reported cost of hosting the 2022 World Cup (most expensive in history).
- $7 Billion: Expected revenue for FIFA from the 2022 World Cup cycle ($600 million over the target budget initially set).
- $20 Billion: The World Cup’s expected impact on Qatar’s economy.
- $2,286: Average price of the cheapest round-trip tickets from a major U.S. city to Doha for the World Cup.
- $847 Million: Estimated cost of the Al Bayt Stadium, the most expensive venue built for the 2022 World Cup (6.5 times cheaper than the SoFi Stadium, the world most expensive arena).
- $425 Million: Amount paid by Fox for the rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments.
- 1st: Time the World Cup will be held in the Middle East Region (with Qatar being the smallest nation to ever host the tournament).
Ask the Experts
- What interest will the World Cup generate in the U.S. given the national team qualified?
- What outcome do you foresee for the national team in this final tournament?
- Who do you think will win the World Cup?
Ask the Experts
Ph.D. – Director of Undergraduate Programs, College of Business, O’Bleness Associate Professor of Sports Administration – Ohio University
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Assistant professor of Sport Management, Department of Sport Leadership and Management (SLAM) – Miami University
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Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Sport Management, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education – Northern Illinois University
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Director, Sports Management Program; Instructor, Marketing – Suffolk University Sawyer Business School
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Associate Professor, Law and Ethics; Director, Sports Business Initiative; Director, Sports Business Concentration, Gabelli School of Business – Fordham University
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Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Department of Communication – University of Kentucky
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