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The winners of the 2026 World Cup will take home $50 million in prize money after FIFA confirmed a record financial package for the expanded tournament. The announcement was made on Wednesday by world football’s governing body as part of its plans for the next edition of the competition.
FIFA revealed that the total prize fund for the tournament will amount to $655 million, or approximately €558.5 million, representing an increase of almost 50 per cent compared with the $440 million distributed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The significant rise reflects the scale of the competition, which will be staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
The 2026 tournament will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, marking a 50 per cent increase from the 32 nations that competed in Qatar. As a result, prize money has been adjusted across all stages of the competition to accommodate the expanded field.
At the previous World Cup, the Argentine Football Association received $42 million after Lionel Messi led Argentina to victory in a dramatic final against France, decided on penalties. France, as runners-up, earned $30 million for reaching the final.
Under the new structure, the losing finalists in 2026 will receive $33 million, while the third-place team will collect $29 million and the other losing semi-finalists will be awarded $27 million. Nations knocked out at the group stage will each earn $9 million, with all 48 participating teams also set to receive an additional $1.5 million to help cover preparation costs.
