Spain pockets $51 million as every country leaves tournament with at least $12.5 million
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has become the richest tournament in football history after FIFA paid out a record $871 million in prize money to the 48 participating countries.
The month-long tournament, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, ended on Sunday with Spain defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win their second FIFA World Cup title.
As champions, Spain received $51 million in prize money, while runners-up Argentina earned $34 million. England, who defeated France 6-4 in the third-place match, received $30 million, while fourth-placed France took home $28 million.
Teams that reached the quarter-finals each received $20 million, while countries eliminated in the Round of 16 earned $16 million. Nations that finished between 17th and 32nd place received $12 million, while teams placed between 33rd and 48th were awarded $10 million.
Beyond performance bonuses, FIFA also provided financial support to every participating country. Each nation received $2.5 million as preparation funding to cover expenses such as training camps, travel and logistics before the tournament.
FIFA also paid additional financial contributions to participating countries to support delegation costs, administration, accommodation, logistics and ticketing, ensuring that every nation earned at least $12.5 million, regardless of where they finished.
The world football governing body had initially announced a prize pool of $727 million, representing a 50 per cent increase from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. However, in April 2026, FIFA approved a further increase, taking the total prize fund to a record $871 million.
The expanded tournament featured 48 teams, 104 matches and lasted 39 days, making it the biggest FIFA World Cup ever staged.
The huge increase in prize money reflects FIFA’s continued investment in the global game and its effort to support participating countries financially while rewarding teams for their performances on the pitch.
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