FIFA World Cup 2026: Biggest Prize Money Ever Announced

FIFA has announced a record prize pool for the FIFA World Cup 2026. A total of $655 million will be shared among 48 teams. The increase marks a major jump from the 2022 edition and reshapes financial rewards ahead of football’s biggest event.

FIFA confirmed a record prize structure for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The total prize money will reach $655 million, which equals around Rs 18 billion.

This figure marks a sharp rise from the 2022 World Cup. That tournament paid out $440 million in total. FIFA says the expansion to 48 teams drives the increase in the FIFA World Cup 2026 prize money.

The winning team will receive $50 million. The 2022 champions earned $42 million. The runner-up will take home $33 million. Third place will earn $29 million. The fourth-ranked team will receive $27 million.

Teams finishing fifth to eighth will collect $19 million each. Sides placed ninth to sixteenth will earn $15 million. Teams ranked seventeenth to thirty-second will receive $11 million each. Those finishing between thirty-third and forty-eighth will get $9 million per team.

FIFA will also support teams before kickoff. Every nation that qualifies for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will receive an extra $1.5 million for preparation costs. This payment comes separate from match-based rewards.

The tournament will take place next year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams.