Big bucks are being made from the 2026 tournament off the field, but who is raking in the most?

More countries taking part and more matches means more eyeballs on the action - as well as more opportunities to make money. As the planet's footballing stars create historic moments on the pitch, billions of dollars are being generated off it. The amount of money world football's governing body Fifa makes from the World Cup is astronomical. It generated a record $7.6bn (£5.6bn) from Qatar 2022 and is expected to top that in US, Canada and Mexico 2026, especially with the expanded 48-team tournament. Marion Laboure, senior strategist at Deutsche Bank Research, says Fifa is "without question" the main winner with its revenues over the four-year cycle period approaching $13bn. Fifa's income comes from the sale of broadcasting, licensing and hospitality rights, sponsorship deals and ticket sales. "Fifa also moved into the secondary market with its official resale marketplace, taking a 15% fee from both buyer and seller," adds Laboure. We should expect more of this in tournaments to come, with Fifa considering expanding the tournament yet again to 64 teams, which could include the likes of China and India - and the billions more viewers that come with it. While fans may have achieved lifelong dreams, financially speaking, this tournament has been tough.