The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has agreed to increase the prize money distributed to participating teams by 50 percent for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. More than $727 million will be allocated to the financial pool for the tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Of this amount, approximately $655 million has been set aside to be distributed among the 48 teams that qualify for the final tournament. The prize money will be awarded based on each team’s final position in the competition. The champions will receive $50 million, while the runners-up will take home $33 million.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the total prize money distributed was just over $420 million. That tournament featured only 32 teams, unlike the 2026 edition, which will expand to 48 teams for the first time in World Cup history.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the increase in prize money as a significant financial contribution to football communities around the world.
With the higher prize pool, even teams eliminated in the group stage are expected to earn around $9 million, in addition to a further $1.5 million automatically awarded for qualifying for the tournament.
It should be noted that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026. The Mexican national team is set to play in the opening match of the tournament against South Africa.
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