The winner of the World Cup will hoist a trophy, receive championship rings for the first time and gain a lifetime of glory in what will be a defining moment in the country's sports history. It'll also lead to a significant payday.
The World Cup winner earns $51 million. The second prize is $34 million.
FIFA expanded the payout for the 2026 World Cup, setting a record with a combined $871 million paid to the 48 participating teams. That tally includes more than $100 million that was added in April after some federations in Europe lobbied for help to cover costs at a tournament across three countries that has required extensive travel and lodging costs.
The $51 million for either Argentina or Spain is a large sum, but it also pales in comparison to the fortunes that are spent on global soccer. It's also smaller than what last year's Club World Cup winner earned in a tournament also played in the U.S.
For perspective, the $51 million for the winner is less than the transfer fee paid Tuesday by English club Brighton for a 19-year-old defender who spent most of the World Cup on the bench, Croatia's Luka Vušković.
Here’s what to know about the World Cup prize money:
FIFA pays money to the 48 national federations in two categories: Prize money bonuses based on how far each team advances in the tournament and across-the-board payments to cover training and preparation costs.
All 48 get at least $12.5 million for competing in the World Cup, including $10 million in prize money for qualifying and playing in the group stage. Each receives $2.5 million for pre-tournament training and expenses. That upfront money was agreed at past World Cups to help avoid pre-tournament tensions when it wasn't uncommon for players to claim that bonuses had not been paid by their federation.
The prize money goes up depending on how far the teams advance.
Some federations, especially from Europe, had told FIFA that the prize money structure and payments for preparation costs that had been set last year would see them lose money on the tournament unless their team went deep into the knockout rounds.
France federation president Philippe Diallo told sports daily L'Equipe he had for several months drawn FIFA President Gianni Infantino's attention to World Cup teams not being properly rewarded, compared to what Club World Cup winner Chelsea got one year ago. That was $115 million, after FIFA had to promise a nine-figure reward that persuaded storied European clubs to play in the revamped competition.
World Cup teams playing games in the United States also faced some tax obligations that are exempted in Canada and Mexico.
The eventual champion receives $51 million, compared to Argentina’s federation $42 million for winning the 2022 tournament in Qatar. That 32-team edition had a total prize fund of $440 million.
Here is what the others are getting:
Runner-up: $34 million
Third place (England): $30 million
Fourth place (France): $28 million
Quarterfinalists (fifth to eight): $20 million each
Round of 16 (ninth to 16th): $16 million each
Round of 32 (17th to 32nd): $12 million each
Group stage (33rd-48th): $10 million each
In addition to the payout sums and under World Cup regulations, FIFA is already obliged to pay for business‑class return flights for each federation to travel to the tournament plus board and lodging for a 50-person delegation, which includes the players. The hotel payments start five nights before a team’s first game and one night after it is eliminated.
FIFA also covers the cost of domestic travel for up to 50 delegation members, and “a dedicated fleet of vehicles, including an equipment truck.”
The soccer federations of World Cup teams must pay for “adequate insurance ... including but not limited to injury, accident, disease and travel,” plus “incidental hotel costs” and housing additional members of a delegation.
The greatest honor, of course, is the World Cup trophy.
On Sunday, the champions will celebrate with it after the final whistle during an award ceremony. The original trophy is not awarded permanently. Instead, the winners will be presented with a gold-plated replica, which they get to keep.
As for World Cup prize money, that's paid by FIFA to the federations — not the players. It's up to each federation's rules how they handle the money.
For example: U.S. soccer will get to keep 20% of the prize money. The remaining 80% that the U.S. men’s national soccer team receives will be split evenly between the men’s and women’s national teams following a 2022 milestone agreement to pay its men’s and women’s teams equally, making the American national governing body the first in the sport to promise both sexes matching money.
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
Spain fans gather for a rally on the eve of the World Cup final soccer match in New York's Times Square, Saturday, July 18, 2026 (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Argentina fans gather for a rally on the eve of the World Cup final soccer match in New York's Times Square, Saturday, July 18, 2026 (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
