FIFA has agreed to distribute $355 million to football clubs worldwide that release players for the 2026 World Cup, marking a 70 per cent increase over the compensation paid for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The Club Benefits Programme, announced on June 8 in partnership with European Football Clubs (EFC), represents the largest ever financial commitment by FIFA to compensate clubs for the temporary loss of their players during international duty.
Of the total fund, $100 million has been set aside for clubs that released players during the World Cup qualifying campaign, covering 905 qualifying matches globally. FIFA said the anticipated benefit stands at approximately $2,360 per player per qualifying match.
The remaining $250 million will be distributed to clubs whose players feature in the final tournament across 16 venues in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Payments will be calculated on a per-player, per-day basis, with a minimum expected rate of around $5,000 per player per day of involvement.
EFC Chairman Nasser Al-Khelailfi, who also serves as president of Paris Saint-Germain, said the programme would benefit hundreds of clubs across all levels of European and international football.
"Clubs play a fundamental role in the success of international football through the development, employment and release of players, while the national team game continues to support the global growth and visibility of club football," Al-Khelailfi said.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino framed the expanded compensation as a direct benefit of the tournament growth from 32 to 48 teams, which increases both the number of matches from 64 to 104 and the players involved from 832 to 1,248.
"Thousands of clubs around the world contribute every day to the development of players who dream of representing their countries at the FIFA World Cup," Infantino said. "More clubs than ever before will receive a share of the financial benefits generated by the FIFA World Cup, recognising their essential contribution to the success of international football."
The agreement means that smaller clubs releasing emerging talents for their national teams will receive meaningful compensation. RB Leipzig will benefit from releasing 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande to the Ivory Coast squad, while Mexican club Tijuana receives payment for 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora, the youngest player at the tournament, featuring for the host nation. German side SC Freiburg will be compensated for releasing 20-year-old midfielder Johan Manzambi to Switzerland.
Major European clubs stand to gain the most. Real Madrid, which is expected to release multiple squad members including England midfielder Jude Bellingham, Brazil forward Vinicius Junior and France striker Kylian Mbappe, will receive substantial daily payments for each player throughout the tournament.
The remaining $5 million of the total fund covers administrative costs related to implementing the programme.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City, with the final scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Sources: InsideWorldFootball, FIFA, European Football Clubs (EFC)
