FIFA will pay clubs at least $5,000 per player per day for releasing footballers to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the final figures to be confirmed after the tournament.
This payment comes under FIFA’s expanded Club Benefits Programme, which now totals $355m for the 2026 cycle.
Although the daily tournament rate is lower than the $10,950 paid during Qatar 2022, the overall fund has grown because clubs are now compensated for both World Cup qualifying matches and the finals themselves.
How much FIFA will pay clubs per player during the 2026 World Cup
Clubs will receive a minimum of $5,000 per day for each player released to the World Cup.
- World Cup daily payment: $5,000 per player, per day.
- Minimum tournament payment: around $160,000 per player.
- Payment if a player reaches the final: around $285,000 per player.
- Qualifier payment: $2,362 for every qualifying match in which a player was named in a matchday squad.
- Total 2026 fund: $355m.
- Final tournament allocation: $250m.
- Qualifying match allocation: $100m.
- Administration and wider club football allocation: $5m.
- Qatar 2022 comparison: $10,950 per player, per day, from a total fund of $209m.
The payment is calculated on a per-player, per-day basis. It runs from the mandatory release period through to the day after the player’s national team exits the tournament.
This means the final amount depends on how many players a club sends and how long each national team remains in the competition.
FIFA has said the precise figures will be finalised after the tournament, once the total number of player-days is known.
Why FIFA’s total club payment has risen to $355m
The qualifying element is the key change. For the first time, clubs can be paid even if a player was involved in World Cup qualifying but does not appear at the final tournament.
This is why the 2026 programme is larger overall, despite the daily finals rate being lower than it was in Qatar.
The 2026 World Cup will also be a bigger event, with 48 teams and 104 matches spread over a longer tournament window. More teams and more matches mean a wider pool of players and more clubs involved.
The simple answer is that FIFA will pay clubs at least $5,000 per player per day during the World Cup. The more important change is that clubs are now being paid for the qualifying process too, which makes this a broader compensation system than the one used in previous tournaments.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
