Carlos Cordeiro on the Legacy of the FIFA World Cup 2026

July 17, 2026

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5 min read

In 2010, the United States bid for the 2022 World Cup and lost to Qatar. Carlos Cordeiro, then a Goldman Sachs partner and later co-chair of the winning United 2026 bid, describes that defeat as a shock. But it taught a crucial lesson: a solo U.S. bid might not win again. So when FIFA’s governance crisis in 2015 led to reforms and a new bidding process in 2017, Cordeiro and his team did something unprecedented—they joined forces with Canada and Mexico. FIFA had never approved a joint bid, let alone a trinational one. Yet the world saw it as a united effort, and in 2018, the bid prevailed. Now, as senior advisor to the FIFA president and to the White House Task Force on the 2026 World Cup, Cordeiro oversees the largest sporting event in history: 48 teams, 104 matches, and an estimated cumulative TV audience of six billion people across 39 days.

The Economics of a Mega-Event

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What you'll learn

1 (01:41) **From Finance to FIFA: The Origin Story of the 2026 Bid** - Cordeiro explains how the shock of losing the 2022 bid to Qatar and the subsequent FIFA governance crisis of 2015 led to a reformed bidding process and the unprecedented decision to unite with Canada and Mexico.
2 (03:38) **Measuring the Economic Impact: GDP, Tourism, and FIFA's Revenue Model** - Cordeiro breaks down the expected $20 billion GDP impact, the arrival of 7-8 million tourists, and how FIFA’s $14 billion in revenue funds global soccer for four years.
3 (06:15) **The Dual Legacy: Elevating U.S. Soccer and Global Perception** - The conversation shifts to the tournament's impact on the U.S., predicting a "soccer takeover" and a lasting legacy for the next generation of players and a more welcoming American image.
4 (08:21) **The Title IX Effect: Explaining U.S. Dominance in Women's Soccer** - Cordeiro connects the U.S. women's team's historic success to Title IX, which funneled resources into university-level soccer and created a pipeline of talent decades before professional leagues existed.
5 (08:58) **The Men's Path: From MLS to European Leagues and the Dream of a U.S. Messi** - Cordeiro contrasts the women's path, noting the 1994 World Cup birthed MLS, but the current men's team is now a mix of homegrown talent and players developed in top European leagues.
6 (11:15) **The South Africa Deal: A Defining Moment in Finance** - Cordeiro recounts his role in reintroducing post-apartheid South Africa to international capital markets, highlighting how a personal connection with Mandela's economists gave Goldman Sachs an advantage.
7 (13:48) **A Culture Shock: The Governance Gap in International Sport vs. Finance** - Cordeiro details his surprising transition, finding U.S. Soccer well-managed but lacking basic governance structures like board committees and risk management, a stark contrast to the financial world.

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Show Notes

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to become the largest and most inclusive tournament in the sport's history, spanning 104 soccer matches across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Carlos Cordeiro, senior advisor to the FIFA president, senior advisor to the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, and Goldman Sachs alum, joins Gene Sykes, co-chair of Goldman Sachs M&A and co-chair of the Global Technology, Media, and Telecom Group, to discuss the strategy behind the 2026 bid, the operational complexity of hosting 48 teams and millions of fans across three countries, and the impact of the World Cup on the future of soccer in the US.

This episode was recorded on June 8, 2026.

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