FIFA President Compares World Cup To 104 Super Bowls Ahead Of 2026 Tournament

April 6, 2025: In an interview with FOX Sports, FIFA President Gianni Infantino made a bold comparison between two of the world’s most iconic sporting events: the FIFA World Cup and the NFL’s Super Bowl. Infantino highlighted the sheer scale of the World Cup’s global audience, pointing out its staggering reach compared to the Super Bowl’s viewership.

While the Super Bowl draws an impressive 120 to 130 million viewers, Infantino emphasized that the FIFA World Cup reaches a mind-boggling 6 billion viewers over the course of its month-long tournament. “The impact will be global,” Infantino said, referencing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. “I mean, look at the Super Bowl, which is fantastic. It has what, 120, 130 million viewers, right? The World Cup has 6 billion viewers [over a month of matches], so a World Cup is 104 Super Bowls in a month – which is three Super Bowls a day… This can happen every week if you have the best league in the world.”

Before the 2026 World Cup kicks off, the United States will host another historic event: the revamped FIFA Club World Cup. Set to take place from June 14 to July 13, the 2025 tournament will feature 32 top club teams from across the globe competing for the prestigious title. Among the elite clubs confirmed to participate are Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Inter Miami, and Real Madrid, with global superstars like Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Lionel Messi expected to light up the tournament.

Infantino described the Club World Cup as a monumental step in FIFA’s vision for global club football. “You get the best of the best, with Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Leo Messi, and many many others. The 32 best club teams and at stake is an incredible trophy, but the money we’re talking about is $1 billion as prize money for the winning team,” Infantino revealed. “For the first time, we’re organizing an event like this, and for the first time, there will be a club truly crowned world champion by FIFA.”

This summer promises to be a thrilling time for soccer fans in the U.S., with both the Club World Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup scheduled in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup. As anticipation builds for these major events, the global spotlight on soccer in North America is only set to intensify.