FIFA has unveiled the financial framework for the revamped Club World Cup, which will feature 32 teams for the first time in its history. The tournament, set to take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13, will offer an unprecedented $1 billion prize pool (€930 million), marking a new milestone in international club competitions.
To put this figure into perspective, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar allocated less than half of that amount, with a total prize fund of $440 million (€409 million). The UEFA Champions League, despite boasting an even larger financial pool of over €2.4 billion, distributes its rewards over an entire season rather than within a single-month tournament.
FIFA has yet to disclose how the funds will be distributed among participating teams, which include 12 European clubs (such as Inter Milan and Juventus), six from South America, four each from Africa, Asia, and North America, one from Oceania, and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, which qualifies as the host nation's representative.
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The competition has gained strong financial backing, thanks to recent sponsorship deals that have secured the event’s viability. FIFA has also announced a financial redistribution mechanism aimed at supporting additional clubs worldwide, ensuring that the tournament’s benefits extend beyond just the participants.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has emphasized the importance of this tournament, positioning it as a crucial test ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The support of the European Club Association (ECA), led by PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, is expected to play a key role in the tournament’s success. In an interview with German media outlets Bild and Die Welt, Al-Khelaifi stressed the need for clubs to generate higher revenues and confirmed ongoing negotiations regarding performance and participation bonuses, particularly for European teams.
