Lent.az
As national teams calculate their future profits, FIFA is preparing a tough surprise for the players.
FIFA has once again reviewed the budget for the upcoming World Cup.
According to Lent.az, citing foreign media, total payments to participants will almost double compared to the previous year, reaching $871 million.
Financial Achievement and New Payments
The FIFA Council has officially approved the updated financial plan for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
The organization has decided to significantly increase investments in national teams against the background of the tournament's expanded format.
Initial prize money forecasts announced at the end of 2025 were $727 million. However, a few months before the start of the tournament, this figure was increased by another $144 million.
Thus, this means an increase of $391 million in the total budget compared to the tournament in Qatar.
According to new estimates, each participating federation will receive $2.5 million just for the preparation process (instead of the previously promised $1.5 million).
The minimum payment for reaching the final stage will now be $10 million.
An additional $16 million has been allocated to expand the logistics and ticket quotas of the delegation.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino stressed that current revenues allow the organization to make unprecedented reinvestments in the development of world football.
According to him, the federation is currently in its best financial shape.
Format Changes and Strict Disciplinary Sanctions
The increase in payments is directly related to the expansion of participants - for the first time, 48 teams will compete in North America instead of 32 teams.
This automatically increases the number of games and the expected revenue from commercial rights and broadcasting.
In addition to financial issues, the FIFA Council has made adjustments to the rules of the game:
- New rules have been introduced for the cancellation of warnings (yellow cards)
- Sanctions have been imposed for players who cover their mouths during disputes with opponents
- Fines have been introduced for team officials who demonstratively leave the field as a sign of protest
It should be reminded that the 2026 World Cup starts on June 11 and will end with the final match on July 19.
Further developments in the football industry are planned to be discussed at the next FIFA Congress.
