Can the World Cup keep growing — Or is the model breaking?

The FIFA World Cup has grown into a media powerhouse, but questions are emerging about how far that growth can continue. With expanding formats, fragmented broadcast deals, and new partnerships across YouTube and TikTok, FIFA is experimenting with how football is distributed and monetised. But increasing supply, shifting audience behaviour, and pressure on broadcasters could challenge the model. From media rights to ticketing and in-game ads, the balance between scale, revenue and fan experience is being tested. So the key question remains: is the World Cup still evolving—or starting to strain under its own ambition? Key Points:How much further can FIFA expect to grow the World Cup's media rights? Do preferred platform partnerships with YouTube and TikTok strengthen distribution or weaken broadcaster value?Is FIFA effectively balancing reach and revenue effectively - or is the model being stretched too far?Do rising ticket prices and fan experience issues represent a wider disconnect in the ecosystem?How impactful will new in-game advertisements be for the World Cup and soccer more broadly?