Trump signals push for US to host World Cup again as soon as 2038

Explosion in ticketing and hospitality revenue goes along with a Fifa desire to recoup lost TV income in future deals. Donald Trump publicly urged another United States World Cup and conversations about a 2038 bid have circulated among officials and organisers.

Talk of a US bid for the 2038 tournament has been prominent among football administrators who gathered in hotel lobbies during the competition. Over the past month those delegates have observed what they describe as the country’s strong appetite for flagship events and a high willingness among spectators to pay premium prices to attend.

“We have to do this again and we have to do it while I’m around, you hear that Gianni?” the US president told Fox News in an interview broadcast in the buildup to the World Cup final.

That remark has intensified discussion because it came at a moment when the commercial returns from matchday sales have been unusually large. The scale of ticketing and hospitality income this year is being viewed alongside Fifa’s interest in offsetting reductions in televised rights revenue through future commercial arrangements.

Administrators from around the world, gathered in the host cities, have been notable participants in those conversations. The focus in informal settings has been on how the US market responds to major sporting events and the financial dynamics that follow such tournaments.

The combination of heightened on-site revenue and a governing body keen to shore up income streams has helped keep a potential 2038 American bid on the agenda. The idea of returning the World Cup to the United States is now an active topic among those involved in the sport’s international administration.

While formal bids have not been announced, the public call from the US president and the commercial backdrop mean the notion of a 2038 World Cup in the United States will remain part of worldwide discussions among football decision-makers.