FIFA Increases 2026 World Cup Prize Money by 50% with Champions to Receive $50m
FIFA has announced a 50% increase in prize money for the 2026 World Cup, with the champions set to receive $50 million. The total prize pot of $727 million will be allocated to member nations, including $655 million designated as prize money for qualifying teams. Additionally, each participating team will receive $1.5 million to cover preparation costs, with a minimum payout per nation of $10.5 million.
The prize distribution includes $33 million for the runners-up, while teams finishing between 33rd and 48th place will each receive $9 million. This increase accompanies the tournament's expansion to 48 teams.
The FIFA Council approved the prize money plan in Doha. The 2026 tournament will be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. FIFA projects record revenues of about $13 billion for 2022–2026, up from $7.5 billion in 2022 and $6.4 billion previously, driven largely by the World Cup and Club World Cup expansions in the US.
Ticket pricing for the event has drawn controversy. FIFA announced limited $60 tickets allocated to national associations; however, only 10% of the tickets within that allocation are available at this price. Prices for opening match tickets start around £198, with final match tickets reaching approximately £3,140. The Football Supporters’ Association has called for reductions in ticket prices.
