World Cup 2026 prize money and prize pool
The prize money at the FIFA World Cup has undergone a remarkable transformation in almost a century. While the early editions of the tournament took place without any financial rewards, the World Cup has now grown into one of the most lucrative sporting events in the world. Every new edition comes with higher amounts, greater commercial interests and an increasingly transparent distribution per round.
On this page you can discover how World Cup prize money has changed over the years, what amounts countries could earn at different tournaments and how the financial structure is being expanded towards the 2026 World Cup. This complete history of World Cup prize money not only offers insight into the growth of global football, but also into the economic power behind the biggest sporting event in the world.
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? min. reading time | ? wordsWorld Cup 2026 prize money in USD
- 1st: $50 million
- 2nd: $33 million
- 3rd: $29 million
- 4th: $27 million
- 5th–8th: $19 million
- 9th–16th: $15 million
- 17th–32nd: $12 million
- 33rd–48th: $9 million
Participation fee and expense allowance for the World Cup
Each country receives a participation fee of 9 million dollars for taking part, an amount that increases when the team progresses to later rounds.
In addition, each participating team is paid 1.5 million dollars at the start of the tournament. This financial contribution is intended to help cover preparation costs.
Prize money for the winner of the 2026 World Cup
The winner of the 2026 World Cup will receive a prize of 50 million dollars. This is the total amount including the participation fee and is therefore 8 million dollars higher than at the previous edition in 2022.
Argentina, which won the 2022 World Cup, received a total prize of 42 million dollars. That top prize of 42 million dollars represented an increase of 4 million dollars compared with the prize money at the World Cup in Russia.
At earlier tournaments, France received 38 million dollars for winning the world title in 2018, while Germany earned 35 million dollars for its triumph in 2014.
Prize money per round at the 2026 World Cup
The prize money increases with each round, so the further a team progresses in the tournament, the more money its football association can add to the balance.
Teams that are eliminated in the group stage receive 9 million dollars. From the quarter-finals onwards the tournament becomes truly lucrative, with amounts above 25 million dollars. The champions even win 50 million dollars!
- Group stage: $9 million
- Round of 32: $11 million
- Round of 16: $15 million
- Quarter-finals: $19 million
- Fourth place: $27 million
- Third place: $29 million
- Runners-up: $33 million
- Champions: $50 million
| Round | Teams | Per team | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group stage | 16 | $9m | $144m |
| Round of 32 | 16 | $11m | $176m |
| Round of 16 | 8 | $15m | $120m |
| Quarter-finals | 4 | $19m | $76m |
| Fourth place | 1 | $27m | $27m |
| Third place | 1 | $29m | $29m |
| Runners-up | 1 | $33m | $33m |
| Champions | 1 | $50m | $50m |
| Total | 48 | $655m |
The total prize pool now stands at 655 million dollars [ref]. The increase in total prize money is partly caused by the extra round. Because the tournament has been expanded to 48 teams, a round of 32 has been added, which means FIFA has to pay out more than 200 million dollars extra.
The prize fund for the 2022 World Cup was 440 million dollars. The prize pool for the 2018 World Cup was 400 million dollars and in 2014 it amounted to 358 million dollars.
Why is World Cup prize money increasing?
The prize money for the FIFA World Cup has been rising for decades and will reach another record level in 2026. The main reason for this increase is the growing commercial value of the tournament. The World Cup has developed into a global media event with billions of viewers, enabling FIFA to generate significantly higher revenue from broadcasting rights, sponsorships and digital platforms.
Another major factor is the expansion to 48 participating nations. The addition of an extra knockout round requires more matches to be organised, resulting in higher operational costs but also increased income. This financial growth allows FIFA to redistribute a larger share of the revenue to the participating countries through prize money.
Competition among major international sporting events also contributes. FIFA aims to position the World Cup as the most valuable and prestigious sports tournament in the world. By offering higher prize money, national associations, players and commercial partners remain strongly committed to the event.
Finally, FIFA has a strategic objective to strengthen global football development. Higher participation fees and improved compensation give smaller or emerging football nations more resources to invest in infrastructure, training and national programmes. The rising prize money therefore helps support the worldwide growth of the sport.
This combination of commercial expansion, tournament enlargement and strategic investment ensures that the prize money for the 2026 World Cup will once again be significantly higher than in previous editions.
History of FIFA World Cup prize money
In the early years of the World Cup, no prize money was paid out, not even to the champions. Once the tournament became accessible worldwide through television, commercial interests – and with them the prize money – increased rapidly.
1930–1966: The early years without prize money
In the first decades of the World Cup there was no official prize money. FIFA only reimbursed travel and accommodation costs, while participation was seen mainly as an honour and an opportunity to promote international football. Winners such as Uruguay, Italy and Brazil received no financial reward from FIFA, although national associations sometimes paid small bonuses to their players.
1970–1982: First steps towards commercial rewards
From the 1960s and 1970s onwards, the commercial value of football increased significantly, especially through television broadcasts and sponsors. As a result, FIFA introduced the first limited prize money for participating countries. Although the amounts were relatively small compared with today, this period marked the transition from an almost amateur event to a tournament with growing financial stakes.
1986–1998: Explosive growth driven by global TV rights
The second half of the twentieth century brought a breakthrough in commercial revenues. From the 1986 World Cup onwards, prize money rose sharply, supported by the global sale of TV rights. By 1998, the first tournament with fully transparent figures, the winner already received around 6 million dollars and the total prize pool amounted to about 30 million dollars. During this period, the World Cup developed into a global entertainment product.
2002–2014: Professionalisation and structural growth
From the 2002 World Cup onwards, FIFA communicated prize money more systematically and the figures increased rapidly. The winner received 8 million dollars in 2002, rising to 35 million in 2014, while the total prize pool more than doubled. FIFA also raised the participation fees for all countries, enabling associations to strengthen their programmes.
2018–2022: Record sums for winners and participants
In the most recent tournaments, commercial revenues reached new heights. The 2018 World Cup champions received 38 million dollars, followed by 42 million in 2022. Total prize money rose to 440 million dollars, including substantial participation payments for all teams. This growth reflects the enormous global popularity of the tournament.
From 2026 onwards: Further growth through tournament expansion
The 2026 World Cup, with 48 participating countries, is expected to lead to another increase in prize money. FIFA has announced that budgets will be raised further, with the winner likely to receive between 45 and 50 million dollars and the total prize pool possibly exceeding 500 million dollars. The expansion of the tournament marks a new phase in the financial history of the World Cup.
Evolution of World Cup prize money from 2006 to 2026
Below you can see the evolution of World Cup prize money from 2006 to 2026, in millions of US dollars (2006 amounts are in Swiss francs).
| Position | 2026 | 2022 | 2018 | 2014 | 2010 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | $50m | $42m | $38m | $35m | $30m | ₣24.5m |
| 2nd | $33m | $30m | $28m | $25m | $24m | ₣22.5m |
| 3rd | $29m | $27m | $24m | $22m | $20m | ₣21.5m |
| 4th | $27m | $25m | $22m | $20m | $18m | ₣21.5m |
| 5th–8th | $19m | $17m | $16m | $14m | $14m | ₣11.5m |
| 9th–16th | $15m | $13m | $12m | $9m | $9m | ₣8.5m |
| 17th–32nd | $11m | $9m | $8m | $8m | $8m | ₣7m |
| 33rd–48th | $9m | - | - | - | - | - |
World Cup prize money by year
World Cup 2026 prize money in USD
- 1st: $50 million
- 2nd: $33 million
- 3rd: $29 million
- 4th: $27 million
- 5th–8th: $19 million
- 9th–16th: $15 million
- 17th–32nd: $11 million
- 33rd–48th: $9 million
World Cup 2022 prize money in USD
- 1st: $42 million
- 2nd: $30 million
- 3rd: $27 million
- 4th: $25 million
- 5th–8th: $17 million
- 9th–16th: $13 million
- 17th–32nd: $9 million
World Cup 2018 prize money in USD
- 1st: $38 million
- 2nd: $28 million
- 3rd: $24 million
- 4th: $22 million
- 5th–8th: $16 million
- 9th–16th: $12 million
- 17th–32nd: $8 million
World Cup 2014 prize money in USD
- 1st: $35 million
- 2nd: $25 million
- 3rd: $22 million
- 4th: $20 million
- 5th–8th: $14 million
- 9th–16th: $9 million
- 17th–32nd: $8 million
World Cup 2010 prize money in USD
- 1st: $30 million
- 2nd: $24 million
- 3rd: $20 million
- 4th: $18 million
- 5th–8th: $14 million
- 9th–16th: $9 million
- 17th–32nd: $8 million
World Cup 2006 prize money in CHF
- 1st: ₣24.5 million
- 2nd: ₣22.5 million
- 3rd: ₣21.5 million
- 4th: ₣21.5 million
- 5th–8th: ₣11.5 million
- 9th–16th: ₣8.5 million
- 17th–32nd: ₣7 million
World Cup 2026 prize money frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How much does the winner of the 2026 World Cup earn?
Why is the prize money for the 2026 World Cup higher?
References
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The prize money for the 2026 World Cup is 200 million dollars higher. Discover how World Cup prize money has grown over the years towards 2026.
About the author
Author of this content is Patrick. I have been playing soccer for more than 25 years and follow the daily news closely. My hobbies include playing football, running and maintaining various websites, in addition to my job as a financial professional.
I do not work for any related company or institution, so the information is reliable and independent. The information has been collected accurately from reliable sources and is regularly updated.