Stan Kroenke, owner of Arsenal, is entangled in a growing dispute with FIFA over revenue sharing related to the 2026 Men’s World Cup.
The discord emerges as Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) expresses dissatisfaction over the current financial arrangements for hosting World Cup matches at their SoFi Stadium in the United States.
Stan Kroenke, owner of Arsenal Football Club, is embroiled in a dispute with FIFA over revenue related to the 2026 Men’s World Cup.
The tournament is set to be hosted across North America, including in the United States where Kroenke‘s SoFi Stadium is among the venues chosen. The issue primarily concerns the division of revenue between FIFA, the host cities, and stadium owners.
According to an exclusive report by The Athletic, which cites anonymous insiders, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) has expressed dissatisfaction with their current agreement to host matches.
It was initially anticipated that stadium owners would recover upfront payments through various commercial assets, including sponsorships, ticket sales, hospitality, and matchday earnings. However, these expectations have yet to be realised, creating a dilemma for KSE.
While exact financial figures for each stadium and host city are yet to be revealed, FIFA‘s projections from December suggest the tournament could generate an estimated £8.17 billion in revenue. Of this, approximately £2.3 billion is expected to be earned from ticket sales and hospitality alone.
Further complicating the issue is KSE‘s strong stance on the matter. The group has reportedly threatened to withdraw from hosting any World Cup matches unless FIFA agrees to renegotiate the terms. To date, KSE has not made any official comment in response to inquiries from The Athletic.
Contrastingly, the Los Angeles FIFA World Cup Host Committee has questioned the accuracy of the information in the report, stating that the details do not reflect ongoing collaborative discussions.
Stan Kroenke, who also owns the Los Angeles Rams, faced financial challenges in 2021 when he, along with the National Football League (NFL), settled for a substantial £586 million with three St. Louis-area governments.