FIFA Announces Landmark $1 Billion Prize Pool for Inaugural 32-Team Club World Cup in the US
FIFA is set to distribute a remarkable total of one billion dollars in prize money to participants of the upcoming Club World Cup, scheduled to take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13, a source familiar with the discussions told AFP on Wednesday. This prize amount is considerably higher than what was offered during either the last men’s or women’s World Cups.
While FIFA has kept most financial details under wraps for this inaugural 32-team tournament, which will recur every four years, recent weeks have seen the organization secure a broadcaster and major sponsorship deals. The British streaming platform DAZN was granted exclusive global rights to the tournament back in December, with the contract reportedly valued at around one billion euros (approximately $1.05 billion). Additionally, FIFA has entered into sponsorship agreements with well-known brands, including Coca-Cola, Bank of America, Chinese electronics firm Hisense, and Belgian brewer AB InBev.
In contrast, the total prize money for the 2022 men’s World Cup hosted in Qatar was $440 million, while the 2023 Women’s World Cup held in New Zealand and Australia allocated $110 million. For context, this season’s UEFA Champions League, which introduced a new 36-club format, will distribute a total of 2.47 billion euros (around $2.66 billion) among participating clubs.
FIFA’s decision to expand the tournament has sparked widespread criticism, particularly from European circles, with concerns mainly centered on player welfare. In October, the global footballers’ union FIFPro and the European Leagues association lodged a complaint with the European Commission against FIFA, asserting that the organization was abusing its dominant position by congesting the calendar.
The Champions League format has also seen expansion this season, leading some players—like Ballon d’Or recipient Rodri and Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk—to raise the possibility of a strike. “I think we are close to that. If you ask any player, they would likely share the same sentiment,” Rodri stated in September just before suffering a season-ending knee injury, emphasizing that this perspective is widely held among players.
The Club World Cup lineup will feature 12 teams from Europe, six from South America, and four each from Asia, Africa, and North and Central America, with Auckland City and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami rounding out the field. Notably, not all sentiments regarding the tournament have been negative; Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique remarked last year that “everyone” would want to take part. “This new and extremely exciting competition occurs once every four years, and everyone aspires to compete in the Club World Cup,” he suggested.
The event will be hosted across 12 venues in 11 cities throughout the United States, culminating with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which is also set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
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