FIFA targets $1 billion revenue from Women's World Cup
FIFA is targeting $1 billion in revenue from the Women's World Cup, global soccer governing body's president Gianni Infantino said on Tuesday at the Saudi Arabia-U.S. 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 soccer, 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." REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
5 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Reports: LAFC chasing Tottenham star Heung-Min Son
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Los Angeles FC are pursuing Tottenham Hotspur star forward Heung-Min Son, multiple outlets are reporting. The Spurs are considering an offer of 15 million pounds ($20.3 million USD) from the MLS club, according to The Sun, based in the United Kingdom. Son, 33, has been at Tottenham since 2015 and is under contract with the Premier League side through 2026. The South Korean international recorded 11 goals and 12 assists in 46 matches last season for the Europa League champions. Son has contributed 173 goals and 101 assists in 454 matches with Tottenham since arriving from Germany's Bayer Leverkusen in 2015. --Field Level Media REUTERS

Straits Times
5 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Atomic Brussels? Support for nuclear power gains ground in EU
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Steam rises from the cooling towers of a nuclear power station in Civaux, France. BRUSSELS - Long a taboo, Brussels opened the door to EU funding for nuclear power this month in a sign of the growing support atomic energy is enjoying within the bloc. The European Commission listed 'nuclear fission energy' among the sectors eligible to receive EU money in its 2028-2034 budget proposal unveiled last week – reversing a previous ban. The commission declined to say if that meant Brussels was prepared to fund the building of new nuclear reactors, with a spokeswoman stressing that the proposal was 'still to be discussed' with member states. Nuclear's eligibility remained only potential, she said, and fission was listed alongside other related fields such as decommissioning nuclear facilities, management of radioactive waste and nuclear research. But the change in tack – given atomic energy was explicitly excluded from funding under the current European Union budget – marked a victory for the pro-nuclear camp, which has been steadily gathering steam. Europe has long been divided on nuclear. While France has championed it, Germany has led the opposition since former chancellor Angela Merkel accelerated a phase-out in 2011, after the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Asia Live: People evacuated from border regions amid deadly Thailand-Cambodia clash Singapore Technology can help efforts to shift healthcare delivery towards the community: Ong Ye Kung Singapore Mice industry will need more manpower in areas like technology, sustainability: Alvin Tan Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B The two economic powerhouses even captain rival informal clubs of countries that vie for influence in Brussels. Paris leads the 'European Nuclear Alliance', while Berlin is top dog in the 'Friends of Renewables' group. Informal breakfast talks of the two groups are normally held ahead of meetings of EU energy ministers, with representatives of some countries shuttling between the two gatherings. 'Unavoidable' topic France's club has been gaining members, with Belgium and Italy announcing this year they would join, and Greece also expressing interest. This came after Rome opened the door to a return to atomic power, and Belgium officially abandoned a two-decades-old pledge to phase it out. Other members of the club include Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden. Germany's grouping includes Austria, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Denmark, and the Baltic states, among others. 'The enlargement of the alliance makes the subject somewhat unavoidable,' Mr Neil Makaroff, a climate transition expert at Strategic Perspectives, a think-tank, said of the pro-atomic faction. After years of EU ostracism, these countries want to 'make nuclear power politically neutral', he added. Opposition is weaker than a couple of years ago, with more and more governments emphasising the need for a complementary energy mix to speed-up the electrification of the continent. France is even hoping for a more lenient approach from Germany under new leader Friedrich Merz. In May, the chancellor co-signed an opinion piece with French President Emmanuel Macron backing 'technological neutrality' and the 'non-discriminatory treatment of all low-carbon energies within the European Union'. French Energy Minister Marc Ferracci later said the Germans were ready to end 'the religious war over nuclear power'. Yet, opinions on the matter within Germany's ruling coalition differ and whether Berlin – a net contributor to the bloc's budget – would go so far as to greenlight EU funding for nuclear remains to be seen, said Mr Makaroff. Tensions might bubble up again in the coming months, as countries discuss European rules on renewable energy – a package France would rather be called 'decarbonised' energy and include nuclear power. Paris claimed a first victory this month when the commission included the concept of 'technological neutrality' dear to the French in its 2040 climate target proposal. Still, even in the most nuclear-heavy scenarios, wind and solar power are projected to dominate the European energy mix in the coming decades. In 2024 renewables accounted for 47 per cent of electricity production in Europe, compared with 23 per cent for nuclear energy, according to EU data agency Eurostat. 'In the short term, most of the work on electrification will be done through renewables,' said Mr Makaroff. AFP

Straits Times
5 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Australian Ben O'Connor wins Tour de France Stage 18
Find out what's new on ST website and app. General view of the riders during the 18th stage of the Tour de France. COURCHEVEL COL DE LA LOZE – Australian Ben O'Connor of the Jayco AlUla team won the 18th stage of the Tour de France, a 171.5-km mountain trek between Vif and the Col de la Loze on Thursday. Slovenian Tadej Pogacar finished second and retained the overall leader's yellow jersey, stretching his advantage over chief rival Jonas Vingegaard, who came up third, by 11 seconds to 4:26. When asked if he felt he could win the stage, O'Connor said: 'No, not at all. But I felt much better today from the start. I was pretty active. 'It's a rough race. It's the biggest race in the world, but it's for sure the cruellest. I couldn't be more proud of myself, and the boys, they backed me every single day through this whole race, even in the rough times. 'Thanks to everyone at Jayco-AlUla. It's what the team needed and what I needed.' Pogacar suffered a big scare when he bumped into the team car of Vingegaard before the start of the stage. 'We were going to the start line and the cars were also going... we were cruising behind the (Visma-Lease a Bike) car, maybe a bit too close and he suddenly... maybe I don't know if he wanted to brake check me, to check my brakes,' Pogacar said with a smile. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Singapore urges all parties in Thailand-Cambodia border dispute to exercise restraint Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Singapore Avoid water activities around Tuas Second Link, Raffles Marina after chemical tank accident: NEA Singapore Technology can help efforts to shift healthcare delivery towards the community: Ong Ye Kung Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B 'I was not ready because I did not see the reason why he had to stop urgently so we crashed into the car, but it's okay, I'm okay we're good.' Meanwhile, Ineos' top-ranked rider Carlos Rodriguez pulled out of the Tour after suffering a broken pelvis on Stage 17's late mass pile-up the previous day. In 10th position going into the rainy flat stage, the Spanish climb specialist became entangled in a spectacular pile-up of flying bikes and bodies on the home straight at Valence on Wednesday. 'Carlos remains under the close supervision of our medical team. He will now return home to focus on recovery,' Ineos said. Ineos had already lost former time trial world champion Filippo Ganna to concussion on Stage 1 at Lille. The once-mighty British team, formerly known as Team SKY, won the Tour seven times between 2012-2019, but have been in a relative lull in recent years. Additionally, a team soigneur, or carer, has also left the Tour after being asked to speak to the International Testing Agency (ITA) over allegations relating to the 2012 season. 'Following recent media allegations, David (Rozman) has now received a request from the ITA to attend an interview. Accordingly, he has stepped back from race duties and has left the Tour,' Ineos said, adding the team had not been presented with formal evidence or asked to participate in any inquiry. The ITA declined to comment and Rozman did not answer phone calls. AFP, REUTERS