FIFA Boosts Club Payouts by 70%

FIFA will pay a record US $355M to clubs in the 2026 World Cup cycle (image source)

FIFA will distribute a record US $355 million to clubs worldwide for the 2026 World Cup cycle, marking a 70 percent increase from the US $209 million paid after Qatar 2022 and, for the first time, extending compensation to qualifiers as well as the finals. Under the enhanced Club Benefits Programme (CBP), clubs will receive solidarity payments based on the number of days their players participate in national-team qualifiers—a move championed by the European Club Association as “innovative” and aimed at recognizing clubs’ role in player development.

According to online reports, the CBP payout will rise to US $355 million following a memorandum signed with the ECA in March 2023, rewarding every club releasing players for qualifiers or finals in the US-Mexico-Canada tournament cycle.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the programme now “recognises financially the huge contribution that clubs and their players make” and will benefit thousands more teams than in 2022, when 440 clubs from 51 associations received payments.

Under the revised CBP, clubs receive a per-day fee for each player released during international windows. In Qatar 2022 qualifying, clubs earned US $10 950 per day per player. With the expanded mandate, payouts will cover both qualifiers (starting in March 2025) and the finals in June–July 2026, boosting total disbursement by nearly US $146 million. European clubs stand to receive the lion’s share—estimated at 60 percent—given their high representation in national squads. However, African and Asian teams will also benefit, supporting grassroots development across continents.

ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi welcomed the change: “Clubs play a pivotal role in national team success—from youth training to final selection. This initiative ensures a fairer redistribution of revenue.”

Club officials say the extra funds will underwrite academy programmes and offset lost matchday revenue when star players are absent during qualifiers. “This injection may reshape transfer strategies, as clubs factor in potential international compensation,” notes football finance expert Dr Robert Chikowore of the University of Pretoria. FIFA introduced the CBP at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to compensate clubs for releasing players. Prior to this expansion, only finalists’ clubs earned payments, leaving qualifiers’ clubs uncompensated despite similar disruptions to squad availability.

The 2022 edition distributed US $209 million among clubs whose players featured in the finals but left out those whose squads fell short. By extending relief to qualifiers, FIFA signals a new era of inclusivity and acknowledges the burden of international schedules on clubs. The CBP distribution model and registration process will be detailed in the coming weeks, with clubs required to submit player-release data by October 2025. National associations will verify participation and calculate individual payouts.

As clubs await precise timelines, stakeholders will watch how this financial boost influences international call-ups and whether compensation encourages clubs to support youth development over short-term performance.