In an announcement made on Thursday, FIFA, the governing body of world football, revealed that it will distribute a total of $209 million to clubs whose players competed in last year’s World Cup finals held in Qatar.
This payment will benefit 440 clubs from 51 different countries, whose players represented their respective nations in the tournament, which was won by Argentina.
Under this arrangement, FIFA will provide a daily amount of $10,950 for each of the 837 footballers who participated in the World Cup, regardless of the number of minutes they played during the tournament. This marks an increase from the $8,530 per player that FIFA paid during the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The total sum per player will be divided and distributed to the clubs in which the players were registered in the two years leading up to the finals in Qatar.
The distribution of funds is expected to have a significant impact on clubs worldwide. In the case of Qatar, 46 English clubs will be the largest beneficiaries, receiving a combined total of $37,713,297. Following them are clubs from Spain, Germany, Italy, and France. Among individual clubs, Manchester City will receive the highest payment of $4,596,445, followed by Barcelona ($4,538,955) and Bayern Munich ($4,331,809).
Moreover, as part of an agreement signed earlier this year between FIFA and the European Club Association, a total of $355 million will be allocated to clubs under the program for the upcoming editions of the World Cup in 2026 and 2030.
This substantial financial support from FIFA to clubs recognizes the crucial role they play in developing and nurturing talent for international competitions. The funds will not only benefit the clubs directly but also contribute to the growth and sustainability of football at various levels.
