Sports
FIFA Announces $50m Prize for 2026 World Cup Winners
The winners of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will receive $50 million in prize money, as part of a record financial package announced by FIFA, world football’s governing body.
FIFA disclosed on Wednesday that the total prize fund for the tournament will stand at $655 million (€558.5 million), representing an increase of almost 50 per cent from the $440 million shared among participating teams at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The 2026 tournament, scheduled to hold in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, will also mark a historic expansion, featuring 48 teams for the first time a 50 per cent increase from the 32-team format used in previous editions.
At the 2022 World Cup, the Argentine Football Association received $42 million in prize money after Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to victory, defeating France on penalties in the final.
Under the new prize structure, the 2026 runners-up will receive $33 million, while the third-place team will earn $29 million. The other defeated semi-finalists will collect $27 million.
Teams eliminated at the group stage will receive $9 million, while all 48 participating nations will be awarded an additional $1.5 million to cover what FIFA described as “preparation costs.”
