FIFA President Gianni Infantino
FIFA has announced a 50% increase in prize money for teams participating in next year’s World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, in a move that comes amid growing criticism over ticket prices for the tournament.
The increased payouts form part of a record financial distribution of $727m (£544.8m), approved by Fifa’s council and funded by revenues generated from the competition.
Under the new structure, the World Cup winners will receive $50m (£37.4m), while the runners-up will earn $33m (£24.7m). Teams eliminated at the group stage will still take home $9m (£6.7m).
In addition to performance-based rewards, each qualified nation will receive $1.5m (£1.1m) to cover preparation costs. This means every participating member association is guaranteed a minimum payout of $10.5m (£7.8m).
Fifa president Gianni Infantino described the increased payments as a landmark moment for the sport, saying the tournament would be “groundbreaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community”.
The governing body has already forecast record revenues of $13bn (£9.7bn) for the 2023–2026 cycle.
The announcement follows renewed scrutiny of Fifa’s ticket pricing strategy for the expanded 48-team World Cup, which will feature 104 matches. A day earlier, the organisation introduced a limited number of £45 tickets for every match after a public outcry over affordability.
Supporters’ groups have welcomed the move but insist more needs to be done. Tom Greatrex, chair of the Football Supporters’ Association, said the record prize fund showed there was “no shortage of money associated with the World Cup” and urged Fifa to rethink its approach to ticket pricing.
He warned that the organisation still had time to avoid “all but killing what is special about the World Cup” and called for immediate action.
The partial concession on ticket prices was welcomed by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who nonetheless encouraged Fifa to go further in making the tournament accessible to fans.
At the same meeting, Fifa’s council also approved the creation of a post-conflict recovery fund, aligning with its stated aim of promoting football’s unifying values. The initiative follows an announcement made by Infantino at the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace in October 2025, where he pledged to establish a support mechanism for regions affected by conflict.
Fifa said the new financial instrument would be open to third-party contributions and subject to strict oversight, complementing existing support provided through the Fifa Forward Programme and other development initiatives.