Runners-up Argentina will earn $34 million, while FIFA will distribute a record $871 million among all 48 participating teams, making the 2026 edition the richest World Cup in history, according to a report in Fortune.

The expanded prize fund includes more than $100 million added earlier this year after several European football federations urged FIFA to increase financial support, citing the higher costs of staging a tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Every team competing at the World Cup is guaranteed at least $12.5 million, comprising $10 million for qualifying and participating in the group stage and $2.5 million to cover pre-tournament training and preparation expenses.

The payment structure was designed to ease financial pressures on national federations and avoid disputes over player bonuses before the tournament.

Here is what they are getting:

Runner-up: $34 million

Third place (England): $30 million

Fourth place (France): $28 million

Quarterfinalists (fifth to eight): $20 million each

Round of 16 (ninth to 16th): $16 million each

Round of 32 (17th to 32nd): $12 million each

Group stage (33rd-48th): $10 million each

The prize money increases with each stage of the competition.

Third-placed England will receive $30 million, while fourth-placed France will earn $28 million.

Quarter-finalists are awarded $20 million each; teams reaching the round of 16 receive $16 million, those eliminated in the round of 32 collect $12 million, and teams exiting in the group stage receive $10 million.

The 2026 payouts represent a significant increase from the $440 million distributed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when champions Argentina received $42 million.

Despite the record reward, the World Cup winner’s prize remains modest compared with the financial scale of club football.

Chelsea reportedly earned $115 million for winning the expanded FIFA Club World Cup last year, while transfer fees for top players can also exceed the amount awarded to the World Cup champions.

In addition to the prize money, FIFA covers business-class return flights, accommodation, domestic travel and transport for official 50-member team delegations throughout the tournament.

National football associations remain responsible for insurance, incidental hotel expenses and additional delegation costs.

While the winner lifts the iconic FIFA World Cup trophy during the post-match celebrations, the original trophy will remain in FIFA’s possession.

Champions receive a gold-plated replica to keep permanently.

FIFA pays the prize money directly to national football associations rather than players, leaving each federation to determine how the funds are distributed among players, coaches and football development programmes.