The total figure climbed from $727 million (already a record) to the impressive sum of $871 million, approaching $900 million.
The announcement was made in Vancouver, Canada, the host city of the tournament, during a FIFA Council meeting held days before the organization’s 76th Congress. FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted the historical moment:
“FIFA is proud to be in the strongest financial position in its history, which enables us to assist all of our member associations in an unprecedented way. This is yet another example of how FIFA’s resources are reinvested in football.”
The sharp rise comes after several FIFA member federations expressed concerns that high travel costs, taxes, and general operating expenses could lead to financial losses for participating in the World Cup, which will be staged in Canada, Mexico, and the United States from June 11 to July 19.
The nations noted that expenses were comparatively much higher than in the last edition held in Qatar in 2022. In direct response to these complaints, the Council acted swiftly and approved the upward revision.
One of the most concrete changes is the increase in the pre-tournament preparation bonus: the allocation given to each team before the competition, initially set at $1.5 million, will now rise to $2.5 million. This ensures that no federation enters the World Cup in an economically disadvantaged position.
Most of the money will go directly to the 48 participating teams, which will receive $655 million in cash prizes (a 50% increase from the Qatar 2022 edition). Additionally, all teams will receive $1.5 million to cover preparation costs, meaning that each participating federation will receive a minimum of $10.5 million just for taking part in the tournament.
As for the grand prize, the 2026 World Cup winner will take home $50 million, a figure that reflects the scale of this tournament—the largest in football history in terms of participating teams. Other contributions for delegation costs and an increase in ticket allocations for teams are also part of the overall rise.
With the tournament kicking off on June 11, 2026, the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States is already shaping up to be the richest (and most anticipated) ever.
