How exaggerated is the prize pool of the 2026 World Cup? How much money can the champion get?

The 2026 World Cup co-organized by the three countries in North America has not yet started, but FIFA has already released the bonus distribution plan. The championship team can receive US$104 million, and the total prize pool for the entire World Cup is as high as US$1.1 billion, which is 2.5 times higher than Qatar’s US$440 million in 2022. Even a team that is eliminated in three games in the group stage can still get a guarantee of about US$9.5 million, which is enough to pay off the entire team's national team salary.

This figure makes football associations around the world jealous. Many small national football associations have an annual operating budget of less than US$5 million. Once the World Cup is over, the participation fees alone can cost a national football association ten years. This is why the qualifiers for each country are like a war, because advancing to the main draw is not only an honor, but also real money.

Why does FIFA dare to turn over so many pages at once?

The 2026 World Cup will expand to 48 teams, the number of games will increase from 64 to 104, and FIFA's TV broadcast rights and sponsorship fees will increase. It is estimated that revenue in a single session will exceed US$11 billion, 1.5 times the US$7.5 billion in 2022. Even if the prize pool is doubled by 2.5 times, FIFA's own retained profits are still the highest ever.

The more core reason is the North American market. US television broadcast rights alone were sold to FOX and Telemundo for US$2.2 billion, three times that of the European market. Sponsors from Mexico and Canada also rushed to grab seats, with Coca-Cola, Visa and Adidas contributing a combined US$1.5 billion. FIFA has a lot of money, so it naturally dares to give out generous bonuses.

How to divide the champion’s $104 million

As usual, FIFA sends the money to the account of the National Football Association, which then distributes it to the players, coaching staff, and logistics. The distribution ratio varies among countries. Argentina’s tradition is that players take 70%, the coaching staff 15%, and the Football Association retains 15%. France is 60% players, 20% coaches, and 20% football association.

According to Argentina's division method, if Argentina wins the championship again in 2026, each of the 23 players can receive an average of about 3.2 million U.S. dollars, which is equivalent to half a year's salary in Europe's top leagues. But core players like Messi and Di Maria usually get double.

The runner-up and third runner-up also get a lot of money.

The runner-up team will receive US$35 million, the third-place team will receive US$27 million, and the third-place team will receive US$25 million. This gradient makes every knockout round of the World Cup particularly cruel, because players who are one place behind are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars less per player. When Argentina lost to Germany in the 2014 final, the team's total revenue was US$25 million less than that of Germany, and it was several million US dollars less based on Messi's signing bonus.

Guarantees for the group stage

Participating in the main draw has a guaranteed base of US$9.5 million, an additional US$13 million for reaching the top 16, and an additional US$17 million for reaching the top eight. In other words, as long as a team reaches the top 8, it will receive approximately US$39.5 million. This is an astronomical figure for small and medium-sized national football associations, enough for them to invest in youth training for 10 years.

Morocco will receive approximately US$25 million by reaching the top four in 2022. This money allowed the Moroccan Football Association to build a new youth training center in Casablanca and invite top European coaches. It is foreseeable that African football will go further and further in the future.

How much additional bonus can an individual player receive?

In addition to the money given by FIFA to the Football Association, players also receive commercial endorsement bonuses. In the contract signed by the Argentine Players Association with the players in 2022, the endorsement share of each scoring player will be increased by 20%. After Messi won the championship, his endorsement fee tripled, and his existing contracts with Nike, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola were automatically renewed for five years, which is estimated to have brought him more than $500 million in long-term benefits.

How much does the host country earn?

The host country of the World Cup directly benefits the most. In the United States, it is expected that on-site and off-site consumption will bring an economic boost of US$12 billion in 2026. The tourism industry, restaurants, and hotels in cities such as Mexico City, Los Angeles, and New York have all entered their peak season. FIFA's share to the host country is not much, but the host country can earn US$20 million per game through tickets, advertising space, and city sponsorship.

Canada's first hosting of the World Cup is relatively conservative, with only 13 games under its belt. However, the two host cities of Vancouver and Toronto are expected to increase Canada's GDP by 0.4 percentage points, which is equivalent to an extra 6 billion Canadian dollars in revenue.

The politics behind bonuses

FIFA gives small countries a minimum guarantee of US$9.5 million, which seems generous, but is actually to maintain FIFA's international influence. The voting rights of each member state determine the FIFA presidential election and major decisions. The best way for FIFA to maintain the voting loyalty of its 208 member states is to make them feel that there is money to be made in the World Cup. This binding of interests has given FIFA increasing power among international sports organizations. In 2024, FIFA's annual revenue has exceeded that of the International Olympic Committee.

Money is not everything

Such a high bonus also has side effects. In order to get this guarantee, some small countries began to use naturalized players to top up their numbers. In 2022, 11 of the 23 players in the Qatar national team are naturalized, and they were ridiculed by fans as a mercenary World Cup. FIFA recently modified the naturalization rules, requiring players to live in the country for at least five years before they can represent the national team, but the effect is limited.

Another side effect of bonuses is the proliferation of match-fixing in qualifying matches. FIFA investigates many cases of match-fixing in qualifying matches at every World Cup, especially in Asia and Africa. The guarantee of US$9.5 million has led some teams and even players to take desperate risks, deliberately losing or buying opponents into giving up positions. This is FIFA's most troublesome gray area.

Expectations for the 2030 Centenary World Cup

The 2030 World Cup is the 100th World Cup. It will be co-organized by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, plus Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will each host one game to pay tribute to the first one in 1930. The prize pool is expected to further exceed US$1.5 billion, and the championship prize may approach US$150 million. The World Cup has transformed from a mere football match into the world's largest sports money machine, bar none.