FIFA has dramatically increased the prize money for the 2026 World Cup, adding an extra £650 million to the pot after concerns that some nations could lose money participating in the tournament. The decision was announced following a meeting of the FIFA Council in Vancouver, where president Gianni Infantino confirmed the additional funding.
Every one of the 48 teams will receive an extra £800,000 to cover costs such as hotels, training bases, and travel. The total distribution to participating teams will now reach USD 871 million (£650m), a 15% increase from previous allocations. Preparation money rises from USD 1.5 million to USD 2.5 million per team, and qualification money increases from USD 9 million to USD 10 million.
Earlier this week, the Mirror exclusively revealed that several countries feared a financial disaster at the tournament, with one FIFA source stating, 'There is a real concern that several countries will actually lose money. This is the most lucrative sporting event in the world. Smaller countries should be making decent money from it.' The source added that movements were underway to raise the issue in Vancouver.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said, 'FIFA is proud to be in its most solid financial position ever, enabling us to help all our Member Associations in an unprecedented way. This is one more example of how FIFA’s resources are reinvested back into the game.' A FIFA spokesman confirmed the additional subsidies for team delegation costs and increased ticketing allocations, totalling over USD 16 million.
The 2026 World Cup, hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, begins on June 10th and concludes with the final in New York City on July 19th. Four nations—Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan, and Jordan—will make their tournament debuts. England will be based near Kansas City, flying to group games in Dallas, Boston, and New York.
