KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: FIFA Council has agreed a 50pc increase in the prize pool for next year’s World Cup by comparison with the 2022 finals, reflecting the massive commercial scale of the upcoming 48-team expansion.

The eventual winners of the 2026 final, to be held in the United States, will take home a record-breaking $50m in prize money. This represents a 19pc jump from the $42m earned by Lionel Messi’s Argentina in 2022. The runners-up are set to receive $33m , while the third and fourth-placed teams will earn $29m and $27m, respectively.

Even for nations that fail to progress beyond the initial phase, the financial rewards remain a significant linchpin for domestic football development. Teams exiting in the newly expanded group stage (33rd to 48th place) will each receive $9m. When combined with the $1.5m “preparation fee” guaranteed to every qualified nation, the minimum payout for any participant stands at a robust $10.5m.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino hailed the move as a “groundbreaking contribution to the global football community.” The organisation anticipates record revenues of $13bn for the 2023–2026 cycle, fueled by the move to a 104-game format and the vast commercial markets of the three host nations: the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

However, the announcement of the record prize fund comes amid a deepening rift between the governing body and supporters. Fan groups have been vocal in their criticism of “extortionate” ticket prices, which have seen some categories quintuple in cost compared with 2022.

“The record prize fund demonstrates there is no shortage of money associated with the World Cup,” said Tom Greatrex, chair of the Football Supporters’ Association. “There is no need to charge such prices to the fans who bring the vibrancy to the finals.”

While the $727m figure is a landmark for international football, it remains lower than the $1bn prize pool recently seen at the expanded FIFA Club World Cup. FIFA officials blamed the disparity on the higher operational and wage costs managed by clubs compared with national associations.

###