How Lionel Messi’s Argentina saved FIFA millions with World Cup win against Egypt
- Argentina completed a wonderful comeback from 2-0 down to beat Egypt and book a place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals
- Argentina's dramatic fightback triggered a remarkable surge in quarter-final ticket prices during the match
- FIFA's commercial fortunes received a major boost after the defending champions kept their World Cup title defence alive
Argentina produced one of the greatest comebacks in FIFA World Cup history, recovering from two goals down against Egypt to win 3-2 and keep their title defence alive.
With barely 10 minutes of normal time remaining, Lionel Messi and the reigning world champions looked destined for a shock exit, a result that could also have marked a heartbreaking end to the veteran forward's international career.
Instead, Argentina completed an extraordinary turnaround to book a quarter-final clash against either Colombia or Switzerland.
Source: Getty Images
Argentina's dramatic comeback keeps World Cup dream alive
Cristian Romero ignited the comeback with a stooping header before Messi fired home a superb half-volley to restore parity.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández then completed the remarkable fightback by powering home a late header to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory.
The comeback came after Messi had endured a difficult first half in which he missed a penalty, making Argentina's recovery even more remarkable.
For FIFA, Argentina's victory also represented a significant boost.
With the governing body heavily promoting the tournament around Messi and other global stars, the defending champions' continued presence in the competition is expected to benefit the event commercially.
Quarter-final ticket prices soar after Argentina's victory
Data from Ticket Data highlighted just how dramatically fan demand shifted during the match in Atlanta.
The figures tracking the cheapest available quarter-final tickets closely mirrored the flow of the game.
When Egypt led 2-0 in the 79th minute, the lowest available ticket price fell sharply from a high of $1,933 earlier in the day to just $953.
However, after Argentina scored their first, second and eventually winning goals, demand surged once again.
By the final whistle, the cheapest available quarter-final ticket had climbed back to $1,946, more than doubling from its lowest point during the match.
The dramatic fluctuation represented a significant financial boost for FIFA.
The world governing body operates the official resale platform for the tournament and receives a 30 per cent commission on every ticket resold through the service.
With premium tickets commanding significantly higher prices, Argentina's dramatic survival is expected to generate substantial additional revenue as demand for their potential route to the final remains high.
Overall, FIFA president Gianni Infantino's administration is projecting approximately $3 billion in ticketing revenue from the 2026 FIFA World Cup - around three times the amount generated during the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Source: YEN.com.gh
