The prize money for the World Cup is poised for an increase following concerns from several national associations regarding elevated operational costs during the tournament.
In February, the Press Association and the Guardian reported that some European nations expressed fears of potential financial losses while competing in North America, anticipating expenses to be considerably higher than those incurred during the Qatar tournament four years ago.
FIFA has since engaged in discussions with national associations globally and is preparing to raise the prize money awarded to participating nations, as well as the developmental funding directed to all 211 member associations from the World Cup.
Talks about increasing funding are ongoing, with an enhanced financial package expected to be ratified at a FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver this Tuesday.
A FIFA spokesperson informed the Press Association: “Ahead of a FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver, Canada, on April 28, 2026, FIFA confirms it is discussing options with associations worldwide to boost available revenues.
“This includes a proposed increase in financial contributions to all qualified teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026, along with development funding available to all 211 member associations.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be revolutionary in its financial contribution to the global football community, and FIFA is proud to be in its strongest ever financial position to benefit the global game through its FIFA Forward programme.”
“Further details will be provided as discussions progress.”
In December, FIFA approved a record prize pool of $727 million (£537 million) to be distributed among the 48 finalist teams, with $50 million (£37 million) allocated to the winning team.
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Officials from several European associations indicated to the Press Association in February that, despite the historic prize pool, they were concerned about the substantially higher costs compared to Qatar, particularly the lack of tax guarantees which can vary by state in the US.
In response, FIFA has initiated talks with associations across all continents in the lead-up to the finals.