2026 World Cup: This handsome check awaits the clubs | OneFootball

Gianni Infantino

The 2026 World Cup is fast approaching. FIFA has plenty of reasons to convince clubs to release their players for the tournament.

During the first international break of the season, the damage was significant. Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué, followed by Lamine Yamal, returned injured from their respective national teams—a development that did not sit well with PSG and FC Barcelona. The issue is a hot topic among clubs, who are seeing their compensation for the upcoming World Cup set to rise dramatically. FIFA, the global governing body of football, has earmarked a fund to be shared among clubs whose players take part in the World Cup.

Indeed, the organization is well aware of the risks this poses for players and wants to protect employers as much as possible. In Qatar in 2022, FIFA distributed €176 million to 440 clubs from 51 different federations. This time, with the World Cup expanding from 32 to 48 nations and hosted in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, FIFA plans to raise the fund to €300 million—an increase of 70%.