FIFA increases World Cup club payment fund to $355 million

Clubs whose players go to the World Cup or played in the qualifiers will get more money this summer. FIFA, the body in charge of world football, announced this on Friday.

FIFA said it has raised the money in its Club Benefits Programme to $355 million (306 million euros). Last September, FIFA already said it would increase this amount by 70 percent from what was given for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

FIFA does not share full revenue figures for the World Cup. But it thinks its total revenue this year will be 56 percent higher than in 2022. For the four years leading to 2026, which includes a bigger Club World Cup in 2025, FIFA expects to earn 72 percent more than in the last cycle.

This World Cup will also be bigger. The number of teams has gone up from 36 to 48. The matches will increase from 64 to 104, and the tournament will last 39 days, compared to 29 days last time.

For the first time, clubs will also get paid for players in World Cup qualifying.

The total fund is split into three parts.

FIFA set aside $250 million for players at the finals. They calculated that the minimum payment per player will be $5,000 for each day spent at the World Cup. “Although the final figures will be confirmed after the conclusion of the tournament,” FIFA added.

These payments, according to FIFA, “will be calculated on a per-player, per-day basis, considering both squad inclusion and the duration of each player’s involvement.”

Another $100 million is set for qualifiers. FIFA believes it will pay $2,362 for each player in a match-day squad for the 905 qualifying games. They will also pay for 10 friendlies for the three host nations, which did not need to qualify.

The last $5 million will cover administrative costs. Any leftover money will go “to the benefit of global club football.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said, “This is another benefit from the expanded FIFA World Cup, providing more support across the entire football ecosystem to the clubs that provide all the players who compete to shine on the global stage.”

The payments are based on a player’s club registration when squads are announced. There are also rules for players who change clubs during the tournament and for replacement players.