FIFA’s compensation program will increase by 70% compared to that applied at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and will include, for the first time, payments related to qualifying matches.
Each player called up to the final phase of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, will receive US$5,000 per day (about Q38,000), according to the memorandum signed between FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA).
In addition, the clubs will share a total of US$355 million (2,705 million), an increase of 70% compared to the program implemented during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The agreement establishes that the footballers will receive that amount during their stay in the concentration. Payments will be calculated according to your inclusion in the final list, the days of participation and the minutes played.
Distribution for clubs
The clubs will receive US$355 million, distributed in two main funds:
- US$250 million will correspond to the clubs that release players for the final phase of the tournament, which will be played from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
- US$100 million will go to clubs that released players during the qualifying phase, which included 905 matches. In this case, the compensation will be approximately US$2,360 per player per match played.
In addition, the clubs will share another US$5 million directly.
Increase compared to 2022
The global figure of US$355 million represents an increase of 70% compared to the program applied during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
For the first time, the plan includes compensation for preliminary phase matches, which will allow a greater number of clubs, including teams from lower categories and from different confederations, to receive financial resources.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted that “thousands of clubs around the world contribute every day to the training and development of players who dream of representing their countries in the FIFA World Cup.”
Infantino added that this program recognizes “his fundamental contribution to the success of international football.”
For his part, the president of the European Club Association (ECA) and Paris Saint-Germain, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, pointed out that the agreement “is an essential part of the strategic collaboration” between both entities and will benefit hundreds of clubs in Europe and other regions.
Al-Khelaifi stressed that, for the first time, financial aid will be extended to qualifying matches, allowing more clubs to receive funds for releasing their players.