The 2026 World Cup champion will receive $51 million under an expanded prize fund for the tournament. The winner will also lift the trophy and receive championship rings for the first time, while the runner-up earns $34 million.
FIFA will distribute a record $871 million among the 48 participating federations. The total includes more than $100 million added after some European federations sought help with the extensive travel and accommodation costs involved in a tournament staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The $51 million payment awaiting either Argentina or Spain remains smaller than the $115 million Chelsea collected from FIFA's revamped club competition.
All 48 teams receive at least $12.5 million
FIFA's payments are divided between performance-based prize money and funding for training and preparation. Every federation receives at least $12.5 million, consisting of $10 million for qualifying and playing in the group stage and $2.5 million for pre-tournament expenses.
Previous tournaments introduced the advance funding to reduce disputes over unpaid player bonuses. Prize payments then increase according to how far each team progresses.
European federations argued that the earlier structure could leave them losing money unless their teams advanced deep into the knockout rounds. France federation president Philippe Diallo said he had spent several months drawing FIFA President Gianni Infantino's attention to the gap between World Cup rewards and Chelsea's $115 million payment.
Teams playing World Cup matches in the United States also faced tax obligations that did not apply in Canada and Mexico.
Champion's payment rises to $51 million
The champion's $51 million award is up from the $42 million Argentina's federation received for winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. That 32-team tournament carried a total prize fund of $440 million.
England receives $30 million for third place and France earns $28 million for fourth. Each quarterfinalist from fifth through eighth gets $20 million, while teams finishing ninth through 16 receive $16 million apiece.
Teams placed from 17th through 32nd earn $12 million each. The federations finishing from 33rd through 48th receive the $10 million group-stage payment.
FIFA covers flights, hotels and domestic travel
Beyond the prize fund, FIFA pays for business-class return flights to the tournament and accommodation for delegations of 50 people, including the players. Hotel coverage begins five nights before a team's opening match and continues until one night after elimination.
FIFA also funds domestic travel for as many as 50 delegation members and provides vehicles, including an equipment truck. Federations remain responsible for adequate injury, accident, disease and travel insurance, incidental hotel charges and accommodation for additional delegation members.
The original World Cup trophy is not awarded permanently. After the final, the champion celebrates with it during the presentation ceremony before receiving a gold-plated replica to keep.
Prize money is paid to federations rather than directly to players, with each federation deciding how to distribute it. U.S. Soccer keeps 20% of its payment, while the remaining 80% allocated to the men's team is divided evenly between the men's and women's national teams under their 2022 equal-pay agreement.