The Impressive Amount of Money Moved by the International Break
The new extended international window has created a huge business for national teams: Brazil earned millions to play in Asia, while Argentina turned Lionel Messi's farewell into a major commercial attraction.
The international break does not only move players around the world, it also moves millions of dollars. FIFA's decision to combine two international windows created a 16-day period, from September 21 to October 6, which several South American national teams used to schedule friendlies and generate new revenue.
One of the biggest examples was Brazil. The team coached by Carlo Ancelotti traveled more than 20,000 kilometers to play two matches against Australia before heading to Kolkata to face India.
According to Indian financial newspaper Mint, Brazil's appearance in India had an estimated price tag of between 350 million and 400 million rupees, equivalent to approximately €3.3 million to €3.8 million. The figure has not been officially confirmed by either federation and remains an estimate published by the outlet.
The total cost of organizing the match reportedly reached approximately €4.7 million, including around €570,000 for the Brazilian delegation's charter flight.
The tour also had sporting consequences. Raphinha returned early to Barcelona after suffering swelling in his right thigh during the second match against Australia.
Argentina Turns Messi's Farewell Into a Business
Argentina took a different approach. Instead of traveling to another continent, it scheduled three home matches against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin, using Lionel Messi's international farewell as the main attraction of the window.
The AFA set general admission tickets at 90,000 Argentine pesos for all three matches, while the most expensive seats for the games against Burkina Faso and Benin reached 480,000 pesos. No official figure has been released regarding the total revenue generated.
The match against Burkina Faso also highlighted the risks of the business. Travel problems caused the African team to arrive in Buenos Aires less than six hours before kickoff with a squad composed primarily of young players. Argentina ultimately won 7-0.
Lionel Scaloni later praised the African players for the effort they made to play the match despite the difficult circumstances.
Asia Is Also Paying for Other National Teams
The market extends beyond Brazil. According to the same information, Uruguay would receive approximately €1.2 million to play in Kolkata, while Panama reportedly earned around €520,000.
Ecuador, Venezuela and Uruguay also organized tours in Asia, although their federations have not publicly disclosed all of the financial terms.
The new international window has made one reality clear: while national teams take advantage of the additional days to generate revenue, hosts pay to attract major stars and clubs assume the risk of having their players return injured.
Key Takeaways
- Brazil reportedly received between €3.3 million and €3.8 million to play in India.
- Argentina used Lionel Messi's farewell to market three friendly matches.
- Uruguay would receive approximately €1.2 million for its match in Kolkata.
- Raphinha returned to Barcelona injured during the international window.
- The extended international break created new commercial opportunities for national teams.
