The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being played across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, capturing the world’s attention. ESPN reported that the United States’ Round of 16 match against Belgium became the most-watched soccer broadcast in U.S. history, with 30 million viewers. That average audience surpassed the 24.5 million viewers who watched Game 5 of the NBA Finals, when the New York Knicks won the title. According to FIFA’s own revised 2023-2026 budget, the organization expects $13 billion in revenue for the current cycle, including $8.911 billion in 2026 alone. Its commercial ecosystem includes global partners such as Adidas, Coca-Cola, Visa, Lenovo, Hyundai/Kia, Qatar Airways and Aramco, along with tournament sponsors and supporters using the event to reach audiences far beyond the stadium.
Sports are big business; that’s no secret, especially to anyone who has paid nearly $15 for a soft pretzel inside a stadium. The more useful lesson is that commercial value is created when an organization becomes known, trusted, and repeatedly associated with a valuable experience. FIFA has made a concerted effort to focus its PR and marketing on scaling the beautiful game across the global stage, and the numbers show it’s working.
For lawyers, founders, and professional services firms, FIFA may seem like an unlikely business development teacher. Most law firms don’t have global broadcast rights, stadium naming opportunities, or Adidas asking where to send the activation budget. But the underlying lesson is highly transferable: visibility creates opportunity, partnerships expand reach, and reputation converts attention into commercial value.
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