By Chalien Dantes

FIFA has turned up the money dial for the 2026 Football World Cup, announcing that the champions in North America will pocket a massive $50 million.

That figure tops the $42 million earned by Argentina in Qatar four years earlier, as FIFA increases the overall prize pool by 50 per cent.

The expanded tournament will feature 48 teams playing across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with a total of $655 million shared among participants. Every team will also receive $1.5 million to help cover preparation costs, guaranteeing each nation at least $10.5 million just for taking part.

Here’s how the prize money breaks down:

• Winners: $50m
• Runners-up: $33m
• Third place: $29m
• Fourth place: $27m
• Fifth to eighth: $19m
• Ninth to sixteenth: $15m
• Seventeenth to thirty-second: $11m
• Thirty-third to forty-eighth: $9m

FIFA expects the 2026 World Cup to be a financial powerhouse, with advertising deals and ticket sales projected to generate at least $10 billion in revenue. Alongside the prize money, FIFA says a total of $727 million will be distributed through the tournament.

The announcement comes after heavy criticism over soaring ticket prices. In response, FIFA confirmed a new Supporter Entry Tier, making a limited number of $60 tickets available for every match, including the final, offering fans a rare, affordable way into one of football’s biggest events.