Olli Rehn

FIFA has put the cost of the coronavirus pandemic on football around the world at $14bn in lost revenue.

This accounts for about a third of the game’s global economic value with the club and national game worth about $46bn worldwide.

Olli Rehn, chairman of FIFA’s coronavirus steering committee, said the true financial effect the coronavirus has had on the game can be seen in fixture list chaos, empty stadiums and loss of TV rights revenue.

“It’s a huge number and it covers the football economy in its entirety, including all youth academies,” Rehn said on Wednesday.

“This will impact next year as well, there is a carry over,” Rehn, who is also Independent Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Governance Committee, said.

He said while Europe was hit hardest in terms of absolute cost, it was the associations outside Europe that “have suffered more”.

“In particular in South America, many on account of their relative means and the spring to autumn season,” he said.