ZURICH (AP) FIFA President Gianni Infantino says it can afford to have Morocco host the 2026 World Cup, even if the rival North American bid promises billions of dollars more in revenue.
Ahead of next week’s vote by FIFA member federations, Infantino says: “FIFA can afford whatever the congress decides.”
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He adds: “We have to live with that and to make the best of any decision which is taken.”
In a FIFA panel’s evaluation of the candidates, the joint United States-Canada-Mexico bid got the only maximum mark for its tickets and corporate hospitality sales plan.
The report noted “significantly higher” forecast revenue of $14.3 billion from the North Americans and $7.2 billion from Morocco.
Still, Infantino says “money is one element (but) not the only element” in the evaluation.