By Deborah Nnamdi
FIFA has confirmed that football clubs will receive a minimum of $5,000 per player per day for releasing players to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The payments are part of FIFA’s expanded Club Benefits Programme, which has been increased to $355 million for the 2026 World Cup cycle.
Although the daily compensation rate is lower than the $10,950 paid during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA explained that the overall package is significantly larger because it now includes compensation for players involved in World Cup qualifying matches.
Under the programme, clubs will earn at least $5,000 for each day a player spends on World Cup duty. FIFA estimates that clubs could receive approximately $160,000 for every player who participates in the tournament, while clubs whose players reach the final could earn up to $285,000 per player.
In addition, clubs will be paid $2,362 for every World Cup qualifying match in which one of their players is included in a matchday squad.
The $355 million fund is divided into three categories. FIFA has allocated $250 million for the World Cup finals, $100 million for qualifying matches, and $5 million for administration and broader club football development initiatives.
According to FIFA, compensation will be calculated on a per-player, per-day basis from the start of the mandatory player release period until the day after a player’s national team exits the tournament.
As a result, the amount earned by each club will depend on the number of players it contributes and the length of time those players remain in the competition.
FIFA noted that the final compensation figures will only be determined after the tournament concludes, when the total number of player-days recorded during the competition has been established.
A key feature of the revised programme is the inclusion of qualifying matches. For the first time, clubs will receive compensation for players who participated in the qualification campaign even if they do not eventually feature at the World Cup finals.
The football governing body said the addition of qualifying match payments accounts for the substantial increase in the overall compensation fund despite the reduction in the daily rate paid during the finals compared to the 2022 tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest in the competition’s history, expanding from 32 to 48 teams and featuring 104 matches. The expanded format is expected to involve more players and clubs than ever before, resulting in a wider distribution of compensation payments across the global football community.
The initiative is aimed at rewarding clubs for their contribution to the development and release of players throughout the entire World Cup cycle, from qualification to the final tournament.
