July 19 – FIFA has selected On Location, a premium global hospitality and travel agency, to be the official high-end hospitality provider of the 2026 World Cup being hosted jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
The value of the deal has not been disclosed but unconfirmed reports suggest it is expected to earn FIFA at least $1 billion.
The next World Cup will be played in 16 cities, including 11 in the US in stadia that host NFL games where On Location already operates.
“On Location stood out on account of its extensive experience of delivering hospitality programmes at some of the world’s most complex and high-profile sporting and entertainment events, as well as its unique understanding of the North American market and its diverse domestic fan base,” FIFA said in a statement.
Qatar 2022 was the fourth and final World Cup where the programme was run by MATCH Hospitality, a British-Mexican firm run by the Byrom family.
MATCH agreed in 2011 on a two-tournament deal for 2018 and 2022 and to pay FIFA a guaranteed $300 million in total plus a share of profits to cover all of its tournaments for eight years.
The latest deal will trump that sum big time and means On Location has added the World Cup to its Olympic contract starting next week at the Paris Summer Games.
FIFA said its 2026 World Cup venues will be able to offer clients “exclusive stadium suites to bustling hospitality villages and extraordinary add-on experiences in between.”
The 2026 World Cup, expanding from 32 to 48 teams, will stage 104 matches across North America, including plenty of interest in buying high-end hospitality packages.
“We’ve been working with FIFA for the last six weeks, thinking through different experiences at each of the buildings where we have deep expertise across North America,” On Location’s chief commercial officer Scott Jernigan explained.
“From the best seats to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the hospitality before and after the matches, the meet and greets, and special memories, we are tailoring those experiences for FIFA but also representing the different host cities and host countries.”
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