NEW YORK: Spain received a record $50 million after defeating Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup 2026, as football’s biggest tournament distributed an unprecedented $655 million in prize money among all 48 participating teams.
The expanded 48-team World Cup became the richest tournament in FIFA history, with every participating nation receiving financial rewards based on its final standing.
Spain claimed the top prize after defeating Argentina in the final to lift the trophy. Runners-up Argentina earned $33 million.
England secured third place after defeating France in the third-place playoff and received $29 million, while fourth-placed France collected $27 million.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Prize Money Breakdown
Teams finishing between fifth and eighth — Norway, Belgium, Morocco and Switzerland — each received $19 million.
Ninth to 16th-placed teams, including Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the United States, Portugal, Canada, Egypt and Paraguay, were awarded $15 million each.
The United States, which reached the Round of 16, earned $15 million. Under an agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation, 80% of the prize money will be distributed among the players, with each player receiving $246,153.85, while the remaining 20% will be retained by the federation.
Teams finishing between 17th and 32nd place, including the Netherlands, Germany, Ivory Coast, Croatia, Japan, Australia, DR Congo, Ghana, Ecuador, South Africa, Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Algeria, Senegal and Cape Verde, each received $11 million.
Nations placed between 33rd and 48th, including Iran, South Korea, Türkiye, Scotland, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Qatar, Curaçao, Panama, Jordan, Haiti, Uzbekistan, Tunisia and Iraq, were awarded $9 million each.
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In addition to performance-based prize money, all 48 participating teams received $1.5 million before the tournament to help cover preparation costs.
The record prize fund reflected FIFA’s expansion of the men’s World Cup to 48 teams for the first time, making the 2026 edition the most lucrative tournament in the competition’s history.
