On today’s Big Take podcast: How a new ticket pricing model and a bigger-than-ever tournament could bring huge profits for FIFA and headaches for fans.
By David Gura and David Fox | Updated on Jun 11, 2026 at 10:11 PM
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The 2026 World Cup kicks off today in Mexico City. It’ll be the largest in FIFA’s history, spanning three host countries and 48 competing teams and is expected to generate between $11 and $13 billion.
But the tournament’s expansion comes at the expense of fans navigating a new dynamic pricing model and cities shouldering overhead costs. On today’s Big Take, host David Gura, Bloomberg’s Vanessa Perdomo and economist Andrew Zimbalist track who stands to profit the most from the people’s game.
Read more: The Hidden Cost of the Most Expensive World Cup Ever
Listen more: The "Americanization" of the World Cup - The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly
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This episode was produced by: David Fox; Editor: Aaron Edwards; Fact-checker: Laura Newcombe and Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Sound Design/Engineer: Emma Munger; Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Senior Editor: Elisabeth Ponsot; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver; Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.