
World football's top governing body, FIFA, has agreed in principle to increase financial rewards and participation fees for the 2026 World Cup, in a decision aimed at easing the economic burden on participating federations.
The move comes after concerns raised by several national federations over rising costs, particularly for travel, logistics and taxes in the US, where most of the tournament will take place.
FIFA had initially announced a record prize pool of $727 million, guaranteeing at least $10.5 million for each of the 48 participating nations, with the winner set to receive around $50 million. However, after recent discussions, this amount is expected to increase further.
The final decision will be approved at the FIFA Council meeting to be held on Thursday in Vancouver, where the financial details of the tournament are expected to be sealed.
FIFA is also planning to increase development funding for its 211 member associations as part of a broader financial strategy. The sports organization is forecasting revenue of around $13 billion over the 2023-2026 period, largely driven by global interest in the 2026 World Cup.
The increase in prizes is also seen as a response to pressure from federations, which had warned of the risk of financial losses if they did not reach the advanced stages of the competition.