Clubs Receive $355 Million for Releasing Players Ahead of the 2026 World Cup

FIFA has pledged to pay clubs $355 million for releasing players to participate in the 2026 World Cup and for allowing them to play in qualifying matches.

Clubs whose players are competing in the tournament held this summer across the United States, Mexico and Canada stand to receive millions as a result.

These payments come from the FIFA Club Benefit Programme, which compensates clubs whose players are away with their national teams for extended periods.

For the first time, FIFA will also compensate clubs whose players take part in World Cup qualifiers.

Payments to clubs for releasing players to the World Cup have been made since the 2010 tournament. The 2022 World Cup generated $209 million (£156 million at the current exchange rate), distributed among 440 clubs from 51 nations.

Payments are calculated on a per‑player, per‑day basis. The more players a club has at a tournament and the longer they remain there, the greater the payout.

Of the $355 million total club compensation pot, $250 million (£187 million) is earmarked for the tournament itself.

Another $100 million (£75 million) is allocated for qualifying‑round matches, while the remaining $5 million (£3.75 million) will be distributed to club football in accordance with an agreement between FIFA and the European Football Clubs (EFC) after deducting administrative costs related to implementing the programme.

From the day a player is released to attend the tournament, clubs earn $5,000 (£3,730) per day until the day after their team’s final match.

For qualifying‑round matches, clubs receive $2,362 (£1,765) for each match in which the player is in the matchday squad.

The mid‑tournament day rate has fallen by more than half compared with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, the 2026 tournament is significantly longer and will feature 48 national teams, up from 32.

During the 2022 World Cup, clubs received a total of $209 million (£155.6 million) from FIFA, equating to $10,950 (£8,150) per player per day.

The programme was first launched for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa following an agreement between FIFA and the European Club Association.

The shortest possible duration a team can be in the tournament is 14 days, from the start of the competition to the end of the group stage for Group A nations.

FIFA’s mandatory release date for clubs was 25 May, and the day after a nation’s final match is also counted. Thus, the minimum payment a club can earn for a player who only participates for the shortest period is $160,000 (£119,500).

If a team reaches the final, the player’s participation lasts 57 days, including the day after the tournament, resulting in a payment of $285,000 (£212,900) to the club.