FIFA has announced plans to allocate a record $355 million to clubs worldwide through an expanded Club Benefits Programme (CBP) linked to the 2026 World Cup.
The amount represents an almost 70% increase on the $209 million paid to clubs after the 2022 tournament in Qatar. For the first time, clubs releasing players for World Cup qualifiers not just the finals will receive compensation.
The initiative stems from a renewed memorandum of understanding between FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA), signed in March 2023, designed to foster a fairer and more inclusive system in global club football.
“The enhanced edition of the FIFA Club Benefits Programme for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is going a step further by recognising financially the huge contribution that so many clubs and their players around the world make to both the qualifiers and the final tournament,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Introduced for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the CBP has grown steadily. In 2022, 440 clubs from 51 FIFA member associations received payments. With the inclusion of qualifying matches in the scheme, the number of beneficiaries is expected to rise sharply for 2026.
ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi hailed the update as “innovative.”
> “Clubs play a pivotal role in the success of national team football,” he said. “This initiative recognises every element of that contribution, from early development to releasing players for the biggest games.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be staged from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
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