Clubs Get $355m For Releasing Players

FIFA has disclosed that clubs will receive an estimated minimum of $5,000 per day for each player participating in the 2026 World Cup.

This amount is paid for the duration of the player’s involvement, starting from their official release date.

Read Also:Sheringham: Tuchel Will Regret Omitting Palmer From England’s 2026 World Cup Squad

The compensation is distributed to all eligible clubs worldwide, ensuring that even lower-tier clubs developing international talent receive a direct financial return when their players are called up.

The details were published on FIFA’s official website, outlining what the world football governing body described as a more inclusive and equitable system that, for the first time, compensates clubs for releasing players during World Cup qualifying matches.

According to FIFA, the FIFA Council has approved a $355 million fund under the renewed memorandum of understanding between FIFA and the European Football Clubs (EFC), marking a 70 per cent increase compared to the 2022 edition of the programme.

FIFA calculates it will pay $2,362 for each player in a match-day squad for the 905 qualifying games and for 10 friendlies for each of the three host nations, which did not need to qualify.

Read Also:2026 World Cup: Squad Depth Remains Netherlands’ Biggest Strength –Verbruggen

The remaining $5 million will pay administrative costs with any balance “allocated to the benefit of global club football”.

“This is another benefit from the expanded FIFA World Cup – providing more support across the entire football ecosystem to the clubs that provide all the players who compete to shine on the global stage,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the press release explaining the programme.