Can '4th Quarter Soccer' Solve the Problem of World Cup Match Quality? [★World Cup Biz Lee Jong-seong ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

The biggest variable for the success of the 2026 FIFA North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup, which opened on the 12th (Korean time), is 'match quality.' Previously, 32 teams qualified for the World Cup finals, but 48 teams will participate in the North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup. In fact, with eight teams from third place in each group advancing to the Round of 32, there is a high possibility of dull matches even in single-elimination games with no room for error.

In addition, the extreme heat and humidity of the North, Central America, and Caribbean region are also cited as factors that could hinder the quality of matches in the North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup. In hot and humid environments, it is difficult to expect the pressing football and fast-paced game tempo that fans desire.

This same issue of match quality was also a concern for FIFA even before the North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup. Match quality was already a problem at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The Qatar World Cup was a tournament with very few shots per game. The number of shots per game at the Qatar World Cup was 2.5 fewer than the 24.5 shots per game at the 2006 Germany World Cup.

On the 3rd, the British weekly economic magazine 'The Economist' pointed out that "the number of shots per game at the Qatar World Cup was 16% lower than the record for the 2021-2022 English Premier League (EPL)."

The Economist also analyzed that the Qatar World Cup had 17% more fouls than the number of fouls per game in the 2021-2022 EPL. In fact, as many as 18 yellow cards were issued during the Qatar World Cup Round of 16 match between the Netherlands and Argentina.

Of course, the tension of competing for national honor and the issue of physical exhaustion in the World Cup had an impact. However, a more fundamental problem is that so-called weaker teams play 'defensive football that does not lose.'

From FIFA's perspective, greater revenue can be expected only if spectators and viewers are more immersed in World Cup matches. Ultimately, match quality determines the level of immersion by spectators and viewers. However, considering that the North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup will feature 48 teams, it is difficult to expect high match quality.

This is also the reason why FIFA introduced the hydration break and dynamic ticket pricing for the North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup. These two systems are safety measures that can protect the commercial value of the North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup, where a decline in match quality is expected.

The hydration break, which provides a three-minute break at the 22nd minute of both the first and second halves, is a time for exhausted players to catch their breath. It can reduce the phenomenon of declining match quality due to physical issues.

Above all, the hydration break is valuable time for World Cup broadcasters to air additional advertisements. Generally, an increase in broadcasters' advertising revenue leads to an increase in FIFA's broadcasting rights fees. Furthermore, the hydration break is more meaningful than the halftime break. This is because the break is short at three minutes, making it more likely that viewers will focus on advertisements rather than the halftime break.

In the World Cup, the viewership for matches that do not involve the home team is not particularly high. This means that the games people want to watch are limited. Considering this, the hydration break, which can guarantee more advertising time for matches with high expected viewership, has high commercial value.

Dynamic pricing, where ticket prices change according to demand for match attendance, also needs to be understood in a similar context. Dynamic pricing, which can raise ticket prices for popular matches, is a system that can offset the problems of the North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup, where the number of participating teams has increased to 48 and the difference in fan interest for each match can be starkly apparent.

Until the previous Qatar tournament, FIFA left World Cup ticket policies to the host country. However, for the North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup, FIFA is managing it directly. This is because it can maximize ticket prices for high-demand matches. In addition, FIFA also generates revenue in the secondary market for ticket resale. FIFA collects a 15% fee from both sellers and buyers.

Ticket prices for popular team matches have soared due to dynamic pricing. To watch all three of Brazil's group stage matches in person, approximately $3,800 (about 5.77 million won) is required. Fans who want to watch Ronaldo's last dance must also pay $3,700 (about 5.62 million won) to watch Portugal's three group stage matches.

However, the dynamic pricing for the North, Central America, and Caribbean World Cup has a strong gambling nature. World Cup tickets have not yet sold out, and hotel reservation rates in host cities are lower than expected. In addition, in the World Cup ticket resale market, unpopular matches are actually seeing lower prices. High airfares and consumer prices due to the Iran war are also factors that make it difficult to maximize the effects of dynamic pricing.

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*This content was translated by AI.