The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has decided to inject $355 million into clubs whose players participate in the 2026 World Cup, a 70% increase over the previous edition, representing staggering figures for participants.
Each player in the finals is expected to receive a minimum of approximately $5,000 per day of participation, as part of a program distributing $250 million to clubs involved in the final tournament. The amounts are calculated based on the number of players, the number of matches, and the duration of each player’s participation with their national team.
Within the same program, FIFA has allocated $100 million for clubs that released players for participation in the qualifying rounds for the tournament. The expected benefit per player will reach about $2,360 per qualifying match, with the amount distributed based on the number of players and matches they participated in, across 905 qualifying matches.
The total number of matches between qualifiers and finals is approximately 1,000, which will return $355 million to club football through this program, an increase of 70% compared to the previous edition.
The remaining amount of $5 million, held as a reserve, will be allocated after deducting administrative costs to benefit club football worldwide, based on an agreement between FIFA and the European Club Association.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, commented: “Thousands of clubs around the world contribute daily to developing players who dream of representing their countries in the World Cup. Through the World Cup club benefit program, the number of clubs benefiting from the financial rewards generated by the World Cup will be greater than ever before, in recognition of their valuable contributions to the success of international football.”
