Revealed: How much clubs will earn from players at 2026 FIFA World Cup

FIFA has announced that clubs will receive a minimum of $5,000 for each player per day that they are released to play in the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

This payment is part of FIFA’s expanded Club Benefits Programme, which has been increased to $355 million for the 2026 World Cup cycle.

Although the daily rate is lower than the $10,950 paid during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the overall package is larger because clubs will now be compensated for players’ participation in both the finals and the qualifying matches.

Under the new scheme, clubs will earn at least $5,000 per player for every day a footballer is away on World Cup duty. FIFA estimates that clubs could receive around $160,000 per player who participates in the tournament, and up to approximately $285,000 per player if their team reaches the final.

In addition, clubs will receive $2,362 for each World Cup qualifying match in which one of their players is named in the matchday squad.

The $355 million programme is divided into three parts: $250 million for the World Cup finals, $100 million for qualifying matches, and $5 million for administration and broader club football initiatives.

Compensation is calculated on a per-player, per-day basis, starting from the mandatory player release period and continuing until the day after a player’s national team exits the competition.

Consequently, the amount each club receives will depend on the number of players it contributes to the tournament and the duration of their involvement.

FIFA noted that final payment figures will only be determined after the tournament concludes, once the total number of player-days across the competition has been established.

A key feature of the 2026 programme is the inclusion of qualifying matches. For the first time, clubs will be eligible for compensation even if a player featured during the qualification campaign but does not ultimately appear at the World Cup finals.

This addition explains why the overall fund has risen substantially despite the reduction in the daily finals payment compared to Qatar 2022.

The 2026 World Cup will also be the largest in the tournament’s history, expanding from 32 to 48 teams and featuring 104 matches. The larger format is expected to involve more players and clubs than ever before, broadening the distribution of FIFA’s compensation payments.

In summary, FIFA will pay clubs at least $5,000 per player per day during the World Cup, but the most significant development is the extension of compensation to qualifying matches, creating a more comprehensive reward system for clubs contributing players throughout the entire World Cup cycle.

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