FIFA to pay clubs record $355 million for World Cup players as Uzbekistan qualifies for the first time

As part of the expanded Club Benefits Programme (CBP), the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) will allocate a record $355 million to clubs whose players take part in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and final stage. The organization’s press service reported this news.

Compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, payments under the program have increased by 70 percent. At that time, FIFA distributed $209 million to 440 clubs. The same amount was paid to 416 clubs that released their players for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. For the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the payout was $70 million, while the program was first introduced in 2010 during the World Cup in South Africa, with a fund of $40 million.

In 2023, FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA) signed an updated memorandum of understanding, which increased the size of the fund. Previously, compensation was paid only to clubs whose players participated in the final stage of the World Cup. Now, clubs releasing players for the qualifying matches will also be eligible for payments.

The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico. For the first time, the tournament will feature 48 national teams. The Uzbekistan national team will make its debut appearance in the World Cup.