The 2026 Fifa World Cup is set to become the richest tournament in football history after the world football governing body approved a record increase in prize money for the expanded 48-team competition.
In December 2025, Fifa Council confirmed a performance-based prize fund of $655 million (equivalent to Sh84.66 billion at current exchange rate), a 50 per cent increase from the $440 million (Sh56.87 billion) distributed at the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar.
The increase came as the tournament expanded from 32 to 48 teams for the first time, with matches being hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Announcing the package, Fifa President Gianni Infantino said the expanded tournament would set a new benchmark for football.
“The Fifa World Cup 2026 will also be ground-breaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community,” Infantino said after the Fifa Council meeting in Doha on December 17, 2025.
MetLife Stadium in New Jersey before the Group I 2026 Fifa World Cup match between Norway and Senegal on June 22, 2026.
Photo credit: Charles Nyende | Nation Media Group
But during its Congress in Vancouver, Canada in April, Fifa Council approved the increase of the funds to be distributed to the teams taking part in the tournament by a further 15 per cent.
That increase saw the tournament’s total prize purse increase to $703 million (Sh90.84 billion). The new prize structure ensured that every team that qualified for the tournament received significantly more money than at previous editions, with even nations eliminated at the group stage taking home $10 million (Sh1.29 billion).
Teams that reached the newly introduced Round of 32 will earn US$12 million (Sh1.55 billion), while those progressing to the Round of 16 will receive $16million (Sh2 billion). Quarter-finalists are guaranteed $20million (Sh2.58 billion), with the fourth-placed team set to earn $28 million (Sh3.61 billion). The third-placed side will receive $30 million (Sh3.87 billion).
The runners-up will pocket $34 million (Sh4.39billion), while the winners of the 2026 Fifa World Cup will receive a record $51 million (Sh6.59 billion).
The money the 2026 Fifa World Cup champions will receive represents an increase of $10.4 million, (Sh1.35 billion) or about 25.8 percent, from the $42 million (Sh5.24 billion) that reigning champions Argentina earned after winning the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar. The latest increase continues a steady rise in World Cup prize money over the past two decades.
Italy received $20 million (Sh2.85 billion) for winning the 2006 World Cup in Germany before the winners’ prize increased to $30 million (Sh3.877 billion) in South Africa in 2010. Germany earned $35 million (Sh4.52 billion) after lifting the trophy in Brazil in 2014, France received $38 million (Sh4.911 billion) in Russia in 2018, while Argentina collected $42 million (Sh5.428 billion) in Qatar four years later.
Overall, the Fifa World Cup’s performance prize fund has also grown substantially this year from US$266 million (Sh34.38 billion) in 2006 to $420 million (Sh54.289 billion) in 2010, $576 million (Sh74.453 billion) in 2014, $440 million (Sh56.874 billion) in 2022, and now $703million (Sh90.84billion) for the 2026 tournament.
Fifa said the increase reflects the commercial success of the expanded competition, and its commitment to returning more revenue to the game.
“The biggest share USD 655 million, marking a 50 per cent increase compared to the previous edition will be paid out as prize money among the 48 participating teams,” Fifa said in a statement.
In addition to the prize money, every country that qualified for the tournament received $2.5 million (Sh323 million) funding to prepare for the tournament.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the stand before the Group I France v Iraq match at Philadelphia Stadium in Pennsylvania, US on June 22, 2026.
Photo credit: Reuters
The financial gap between the Fifa World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) has also become increasingly evident despite CAF’s efforts to improve the prize money in its premier event. Ahead of the 2025 Afcon finals in Morocco, CAF increased the winners’ prize to $7 million (Sh904.82), up from $4 million (Sh517 million), while the tournament’s total prize fund rose to $32 million (Sh4.136 billion).
Under the current Afcon structure, the runners-up receive $4 million (Sh517 million), losing semi-finalists $2.5 million (Sh323.15 million)), quarter-finalists $1.3 million (Sh168 million), Round of 16 teams $800,000 (Sh103.4 million), third-placed teams in each group $700,000 (Sh90.48 million) and fourth-placed teams $500,000 (Sh64.63 million).
A team eliminated in the group stage at the 2026 World Cup will earn US$10million (Sh1.29 billion) which is $3 million (Sh387.69million) more than the $7 million (Sh904.82 million) awarded to the winners of Afcon.
Likewise, a World Cup champion will receive more than seven times the prize money paid to Africa’s continental champions.
Speaking after Fifa further increased the tournament’s financial contribution in April 2026, Infantino said the organisation’s growing revenues were being reinvested into football worldwide.
“Fifa is proud to be in its most solid financial position ever, enabling us to help all our Member Associations in an unprecedented way. This is one more example of how Fifa’s resources are reinvested back into the game,” Infantino said.
While both Fifa and CAF have significantly increased prize money over the years, the World Cup continues to set new financial benchmarks, reflecting its status as the most commercially successful tournament in world football.
