FIFA made serious changes to the World Cup budget

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has made significant changes to its financial plans intended for organizing next year's World Cup. Zamin.uz reported on this.

According to initial data announced in the organization's 2024 report, the total budget for the period from 2023 to 2026 was expected to amount to $3.756 billion. Of this substantial sum, $1.12 billion was planned to be spent on operational expenses directly related to hosting the tournament, including key areas such as technical services, transportation logistics, security measures, and guest reception.

However, based on recent reports published by the prestigious outlet The Athletic, FIFA leadership has unexpectedly decided to reduce total expenses by over $100 million. This directive from the headquarters in Switzerland was implemented to further strengthen financial discipline during the tournament preparation process.

Initial calculations had allocated $280 million for technical equipment, $159 million for transportation services, $145 million for security provision, and $79 million for guest relations. Now, these figures are expected to be optimized.

A FIFA representative commenting on the situation explained this step as part of the organization's desire to increase financial efficiency and direct more investment toward developing football worldwide. He emphasized that reviewing the budget before major tournaments is a standard practice and that this process remains under constant monitoring.

Additionally, speculation in some sources linking the cost cuts to FIFA presidential elections was firmly rejected by the organization, which stated that such information is unfounded. Source: The Athletic publication.