England's World Cup semi-final loss against Argentina will see them miss out on up to £18 million in prize money from FIFA. The Three Lions fell to a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat against the reigning champions on Wednesday night.
Match Details
After a cagey opening half, England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon. But as Argentina pushed for an equaliser, England's resistance was broken by Enzo Fernandez in the 85th minute. It got even worse for Thomas Tuchel's men in the second minute of added time when Lautaro Martinez headed in Lionel Messi's cross to make it 2-1. The result means that England's 60-year wait to make it to a World Cup final continues.
Prize Money Breakdown
Every team is given a $2.5 million (£1.85 million) preparation fee; the other earnings are then determined on a merit system depending on results. For making it to the semi-final, England will earn at least another $28 million (£20 million). They face France in the third-place play-off on Saturday night, and a win would see the prize money jump to $30 million (£22 million). However, if England had reached the final, they would be guaranteed at least $34 million (£25 million) as runners-up. The prize money for the winners jumps to $51 million (£38 million), with a potential £18 million difference between what England will get and what they could have earned.
Additional Earnings
Should they win against France, England will earn £23.85 million from both the preparation payment and prize money. They could, though, earn extra from additional team contributions, with teams given over $16 million (£11.8 million). These 'additional team contributions' are described by FIFA as 'subsidies for team delegation costs and increased team ticketing allocations'. It is aimed at reducing the financial disparity between teams when it comes to costs of playing in the World Cup, including travel, logistics and administration.
Looking Ahead
After the third-place play-off, England players' eyes will be on the new season with their domestic clubs. It won't be long until preparations start for Euro 2028, which is being held in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The Three Lions will aim to go one better than the last two Euro tournaments, when they lost in the final to Italy and Spain respectively. The final will take place at Wembley Stadium.
