Argentina and Spain's attempts to save the Finalissima failed // Photo: insideworldfootball.com.
For the preparation and holding of “Finalissima-2026” Qatar has allocated about $20 million. The sale of television rights, the arrival of soccer stars of the first magnitude and tourists, according to calculations of the publication “Marca” (Spain), would allow the organizers to replenish the coffers of at least $60 million.
Attempts to save the match
Negotiations on holding the match between the federations of Argentina and Spain began in January 2025, and only in December it was possible to agree on the exact date – March 27. Qatar decided to hold a match between the strongest national teams of Europe and South America, as well as a festival timed to coincide with the event.
Almost immediately after the announcement of the date, the organizers began preparations, which stopped immediately after the beginning of the U.S. military operation against Iran. On March 1, the local championship was suspended in Qatar, and the Argentines and Spaniards, together with the European (UEFA) and South American (CONMEBOL) confederations, began to consider possible options for postponing the match.
The Spanish soccer federation released a statement on March 5 saying that the Finalissima “should under no circumstances take place in a war zone.” There, as in Argentina, they immediately expressed their willingness to sacrifice large rewards for the safety of soccer players and all festival guests. Qatar promised to pay both federations $5 million each.
It was soon announced that the match and the festival would be postponed. The Spanish side insisted on holding the Finalissima at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, while the Argentine side insisted on a neutral pitch or a two-match format (first match in Madrid, return match in Buenos Aires).
The Argentine federation even offered to host the match after the World Cup, but the Spaniards replied that they would only be able to find a free time slot in 2028. Eventually, due to the lack of compromise, the soccer event was decided to be canceled.
Not so much a financial loss as a reputational one
The sale of television rights would have brought the organizers of “Finalissima-2026” more than $30 million. Approximately the same amount is estimated and the income that would have been obtained from tourists. The festival was expected to attract several tens of thousands of foreign fans who planned to attend matches involving Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal and other stars of the national teams of Argentina and Spain.
With expenses of $20 million, the estimated net profit would have been at least $40 million, an amount not comparable to what Qatar earned from the 2022 World Cup. According to Forbes, the tournament added $17 billion to the state coffers.
Hosting the Finalissima was important not for financial reasons, but for reputational ones. Qatar, like the neighboring monarchies, is interested in maintaining the image of an “island of stability” in the Middle East. Canceling a major sporting event because of the situation around Iran undermines the trust of fans and sponsors, and the reputational damage would be far more tangible than the financial one.
