💸Record prize money on offer at World Cup 2026, double Qatar

At a meeting held before the Intercontinental Cup final, the FIFA Council approved a historic financial contribution for the FIFA World Cup 2026™. A total of USD 727 million will be distributed among the participating associations, representing a 50% increase compared to what was awarded in Qatar 2022.

Prize Scale and Guarantees

Of the total amount, USD 655 million will go directly to performance-based prizes. The next world champion will receive USD 50 million, while the runner-up will take home USD 33 million.

Even the teams eliminated in the initial phase (places 33-48) are guaranteed USD 9 million. Additionally, FIFA will grant each team an extra USD 1.5 million to cover preparation expenses, ensuring that every participating federation receives at least USD 10.5 million for their presence in the tournament.

Boost for Youth and Social Football

President Gianni Infantino also confirmed the creation of the Under-15 World Cup "festivals," which will begin in 2026 for the men's division and in 2027 for the women's. These tournaments, open to all 211 member federations, will be played on smaller pitches and with shorter match times to suit the development of young talents.

On the other hand, a new post-conflict recovery fund was approved to support regions affected by wars, reaffirming the organization's social values. Finally, the slots for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games were defined, and the first Women's Club World Cup was scheduled for January of that same year.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 MANDEL NGAN - Afp or licensors