Only one team will leave North America with the FIFA World Cup trophy this summer, but the other 47 participating nations will still walk away with something.
While the World Cup centers around national pride, there are also financial incentives for the players.
FIFA announced a record-breaking prize pool for the 2026 tournament spanning the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The winner will get the biggest share, of course, but even nations that miss the knockout stage will receive a participation payday.
From the World Cup champions to 48th place, here’s a breakdown of the prize money for the 2026 tournament.
2026 FIFA World Cup prize money total
FIFA announced in December that the 2026 World Cup financial contribution would be a record-setting $727 million. That figure is a 50% increase from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
How much money does the World Cup winner get?
The winning nation will earn $50 million at this year’s World Cup. That’s up $8 million from the prize Argentina received after winning the 2022 title.
2026 FIFA World Cup prize money breakdown
Here’s how much money each nation will receive based on its
overall finish:
- Champions: $50
million - Runners-up: $33
million - 3rd
place: $29 million - 4th
place: $27 million - 5th-8th
place: $19 million - 9th-16th
place: $15 million - 17th-
32nd place: $11 million - 33rd-48th
place: $9 million
Each qualified team also received $1.5 million in preparation costs.