ZURICH: FIFA is targeting $1 billion in revenue from the Women’s World Cup, global football governing body’s president Gianni Infantino said on Tuesday at the Saudi Arabia-US Investment Forum 2025 in Riyadh.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup, hosted by Australia and New Zealand, broke even after generating more than $570 million in revenue.

“Women’s football and women in football are crucially important…,” said Infa­n­tino. “It’s growing as well, and exponentially, and we are targeting that as well to have $1 billion revenue just with the Women’s World Cup to reinvest in the women’s game.”

The next women’s World Cup in 2027 will be hosted by Brazil, making it the first edition to be held in South America. The United States is poised to be named host of the 2031 edition, which will be expanded to 48 teams from 32.

Infantino also said there was massive potential for football to generate more revenue outside Europe.

“If the rest of the world, in particular Saudi Arabia or the United States of America, would do just 20% of what Europe does in football, we (could reach an amount of over) half a trillion (dollars) or more of GDP impact (with our sport),” he added.

“Saudi Arabia, by the way, is doing exceptionally good, as well, by creating a women’s league, a women’s national team. Women’s football is really the only team sport for women that has such a huge audience and impact as well.”

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2025

Opinion

Editorial

Power lunch
Updated 20 Jun, 2025

Power lunch

However things develop in the Israel-Iran war, Pakistan must maintain its position, and stand by its neighbouring state.
Refuge denied
20 Jun, 2025

Refuge denied

ON World Refugee Day, it is essential we confront the scale of human displacement, which has now reached...
Income tax rate
20 Jun, 2025

Income tax rate

FINALLY, some clarity. After the confusion created over the applicable rate on the lowest income tax bracket due to...
Brewing catastrophe
Updated 19 Jun, 2025

Brewing catastrophe

If Mr Trump makes the mistake of plunging into the fight on Israel’s behalf, the world will enter very dangerous territory.
Pension bill
19 Jun, 2025

Pension bill

IT is, indeed, a worrying conundrum. The federal government’s annual pension burden now exceeds its fiscal space...
Abandoned Karachi
19 Jun, 2025

Abandoned Karachi

THE explosive mix of decay, institutional apathy and corruption has, once again, placed Karachi among the bottom ...