Donald Trump has once again voiced ambitions for the United States to host the World Cup, stating, “We have to do this again and we have to do it while I’m around, you hear that Gianni?” during an interview with Fox News prior to the World Cup final. His comments reflect a growing sentiment among administrators and sports officials regarding the potential for an American bid for the 2038 tournament.
Growing Interest in a U.S. Bid
Over the past month, discussions in hotel lobbies around the world have highlighted the U.S.’s insatiable appetite for major sporting events, alongside its readiness to invest significantly in them. Fifa has been subtly, yet actively, promoting a U.S. bid for some time, with recent meetings at the Waldorf Astoria in New York shedding light on the motivations behind this push.
Fifa’s Revenue Surge
Fifa President Gianni Infantino addressed representatives from the 211 member associations, revealing a substantial increase in revenue projections for the current four-year cycle, which has risen from $11 billion (£8.2 billion) to $15 billion. Most of this growth has stemmed from a surge in ticketing and hospitality sales.
A Fifa insider indicated that demand in the U.S. has been so robust that ticketing and hospitality revenues have surpassed $5 billion, marking a noteworthy milestone where this segment now outstrips the TV rights for the World Cup for the first time.
TV Rights and Competitive Landscape
In a remarkable turn of events, Fifa awarded Fox Sports the English-language TV rights in the U.S. without a competitive bidding process. This decision was made as a precaution to avoid legal complications when the Qatar 2022 tournament was shifted to the winter season, conflicting with the U.S. domestic sports calendar, particularly the NFL and NBA.
Without competitive pressure, Fox secured the rights for the 2026 tournament for $485 million, matching the price for Qatar, despite the upcoming event featuring 40 additional matches and taking place on U.S. soil. For comparison, the NFL’s domestic TV deal is valued at $11 billion annually, while the NBA generates approximately $7 billion.
Fox has capitalized on this summer’s viewership, with industry analysts forecasting over $1 billion in ad revenue, bolstered by increased volume and value due to added hydration breaks. Fifa is keen to recover what many see as lost income from the U.S. market in future TV rights negotiations.
Potential Bidders for 2030 Tournament
Frustrated by Fox’s financial gains, ESPN and NBC are anticipated to enter bids for the 2030 tournament, and initial talks have also occurred with Netflix regarding their participation in the bidding process.
Netflix’s interest in football has already been demonstrated by their acquisition of U.S. rights for the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031, with the latter set to be hosted in the U.S. Another men’s tournament seven years later could ignite further growth.
Fifa’s Flexibility and Future Bids
No nation has hosted the World Cup twice within 12 years; however, Fifa’s guidelines and recent decisions provide the necessary flexibility for such an occurrence. The 2030 World Cup will take place across three continents and six countries—Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay—before Saudi Arabia hosts the tournament in 2034. This arrangement permits a North American bid for 2038 under Fifa’s confederation rotation policy.
Soccer Australia had initially aimed to bid for 2034 but withdrew its candidacy after being given less than a month to formally express interest, paving the way for Saudi Arabia to be selected unopposed—a method favored by Infantino.
Concerns from North American Confederation
Adding complexity, Concacaf, the North American confederation, reportedly harbors concerns about yet another U.S. bid, preferring to create opportunities for other member nations. Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Mexico have been included in the 2031 Women’s World Cup bid, and a collaborative effort could emerge, although Trump has expressed a preference for the U.S. to host alone. “Fifa will want to get back here as quickly as possible,” he stated during the Fox interview.
Timeline for 2038 Bidding Process
While Fifa has not disclosed a timeline for initiating the 2038 bidding process, historical patterns suggest swift action to achieve its desired outcome. The abrupt opening of the 2034 bidding in October 2024 caught many confederations off guard, with Infantino announcing Saudi Arabia as hosts just 25 days later—a decision ratified by Fifa members at a virtual extraordinary general meeting two months afterward.
Infantino is expected to be re-elected for a fourth term at next year’s Fifa Congress in Morocco, likely without opposition, after which focus will shift to the 2038 bidding. Should Trump not secure an unprecedented additional term, he is set to leave office in January 2029, potentially setting a tight deadline for Fifa’s plans.
