FIFA approves record $1bn payouts for 2026 World Cup as ticket prices and calendar strain fuel backlash

FIFA’s ruling council has approved a record financial package for the 2026 Men’s World Cup, setting out more than $1 billion in direct payments to national teams and clubs while intensifying debate over who really benefits from football’s biggest event.

Meeting in Doha, Qatar, on Dec. 17, 2025, ahead of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final, the FIFA Council signed off on what it called a “record‑breaking financial contribution” linked to the expanded 48‑team tournament to be staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Record payouts for national teams

The decision establishes a $727 million pot for participating national associations, including $655 million in prize money and a preparation fee of $1.5 million for each qualified team. A separate $355 million will go to professional clubs worldwide through an enlarged Club Benefits Programme, compensating them for releasing players for World Cup qualifiers and the finals.

The move comes as FIFA targets $11 billion in revenue for the 2023–26 commercial cycle, driven primarily by the expanded tournament’s 104 matches, larger broadcast deals and a North American host market. It also comes amid growing friction with supporters’ groups, domestic leagues and player unions over ticket prices and a congested international calendar.

FIFA has described the 2026 World Cup as “groundbreaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community,” arguing that increased payouts to federations and clubs, alongside wider development funds, demonstrate its commitment to reinvesting in the game.

Prize money breakdown

Under the new structure, the World Cup champions will receive $50 million, up from $42 million at Qatar 2022 and $38 million at Russia 2018. The runners‑up will earn $33 million, with $29 million for the third‑placed team and $27 million for the fourth.

• Quarterfinalists (5th–8th): $19 million each
• Round of 16: $15 million
• Round of 32 (new): $11 million
• Group stage (33rd–48th): $9 million, plus the $1.5 million preparation payment, for a minimum of $10.5 million

The overall prize pool for national teams, at $655 million, represents a 50% increase over the $440 million allocated in 2022 and more than 60% above the $400 million paid out in 2018. The preparation fee of $1.5 million per team remains unchanged in nominal terms, but is now counted inside the $727 million figure rather than in addition to it.

For many smaller and mid‑sized football associations, those guaranteed sums are significant. In Scotland, for example, local estimates have suggested that simply qualifying for the 2026 finals could be worth the equivalent of around £8.8 million to the Scottish Football Association, with deeper runs adding tens of millions of pounds more. Officials in several federations have described a potential World Cup appearance as “transformational” for their finances, although how that money is ultimately allocated—toward infrastructure, grassroots programs, or operating costs—varies widely by country.

Expanded club compensation

Alongside the national‑team payouts, FIFA has sharply expanded its Club Benefits Programme. The pool, set at $355 million for 2026, is roughly 70% higher than the $209 million distributed to clubs after each of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. For the first time, clubs will receive payments not only when their players appear at the final tournament but also when they take part in World Cup qualifying matches.

The programme has grown rapidly since it was first introduced with $40 million for the 2010 World Cup and $70 million for 2014. FIFA and the European Club Association agreed in 2023 to broaden the scheme as part of a renewed memorandum of understanding, with FIFA presenting the change as a more inclusive redistribution of World Cup revenues across the global club game.

In public statements, FIFA officials have argued that the combination of prize money, club benefits and a new Football Development Fund—budgeted at $660 million and financed from what FIFA describes as “excess revenues” from 2026—shows that “almost 90%” of money generated in the current cycle will be invested back into football through its Forward 3.0 and related programs.

Ticket-price backlash and accessibility concerns

However, the record‑breaking figures have coincided with sharp criticism from fans’ organizations about the cost of attending the tournament and from players’ unions and leagues over the pressure placed on the match calendar.

Supporter groups in Europe and North America have reacted angrily to ticket tables circulated by national associations for their allotted sections. While bid documents for the North American hosting project in 2018 referenced group‑stage tickets starting at roughly $20, many standard seats in 2026 are priced closer to $180 to $220 for early‑round games, according to allocations published by national federations. Tickets for the final in fan sections have been advertised in the $4,000 to $8,500 range, substantially above the top price categories sold to fans at Qatar 2022.

Football Supporters Europe and the Football Supporters’ Association in England have called the pricing “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup,” warning that the event risks turning into what some activists describe as “Corporate Games” dominated by hospitality clients and wealthy tourists.

Disabled fans and advocacy groups have raised additional concerns, reporting that prices for some wheelchair‑accessible seats have jumped from the equivalent of under £10 in 2022 to nearly £200 for certain 2026 fixtures, with the removal of free companion tickets and a reported reduction in the number of wheelchair spaces in some venues. Campaigners say those changes contradict FIFA’s public commitments to accessibility and inclusion.

Under growing pressure, FIFA has worked with some national associations to introduce a limited “supporter entry tier” of lower‑priced tickets, which have been offered around $60 for a small number of seats at selected matches. Fans’ groups argue the number of tickets in this category is too small to address broader affordability concerns, pointing to widespread use of dynamic pricing and expensive hospitality packages.

Calendar squeeze and legal pressure

The calendar strain underlying FIFA’s financial projections has also drawn opposition. The 2026 tournament will be the first to feature 48 teams and 104 matches, with 12 groups of four and a new round of 32. The final is scheduled for July 19, 2026, with mandatory player release from clubs beginning May 25, shortly after the planned staging of an expanded 32‑team Club World Cup in the United States in 2025.

In October 2024, FIFPRO Europe, a regional group of players’ unions, and the European Leagues association filed a formal complaint to the European Commission. They allege that FIFA’s unilateral decisions to expand the World Cup and introduce new tournaments amount to an “abusive” and anti‑competitive use of its regulatory power over the international match calendar, jeopardizing player health and the economic sustainability of domestic competitions.

Player representatives have warned that the combination of more national‑team fixtures, extended club seasons and additional global tournaments leaves elite footballers with insufficient rest and recovery time, increasing the risk of injuries and burnout.

Who benefits from football’s biggest event?

Economists and sports finance experts note that, despite the unprecedented size of the 2026 prize pool, the sums directed to teams and clubs still represent a minority share of FIFA’s projected revenues. Even the $50 million winner’s cheque is modest compared with the expected commercial value of lifting the trophy, and less than half of the maximum prize money on offer at the 2025 Club World Cup, which has been reported at around $125 million for the champions.

Most of the top‑end World Cup prize money is still likely to flow to traditional powers that regularly reach the latter stages of the tournament. While the expansion to 48 teams and the guarantee of at least $10.5 million could provide a financial lifeline to some smaller federations, critics question whether that will be enough to narrow long‑standing gaps in resources and standards between rich and poor football nations.

For now, FIFA’s leadership is banking on the North American World Cup to deliver unprecedented income and, with it, the means to underwrite its development programs and enlarged payouts. Whether that record spending ultimately convinces fans, players, clubs and regulators that the game’s wealth is being fairly shared may shape not only the atmosphere inside stadiums in 2026 but also the future balance of power in world football.