USD 727 million, 50% more than for Qatar 2022™, to be distributed to Participating Member Associations as a result of next year's showpiece
FIFA Council confirms pioneering FIFA U-15 "festivals" open to all Member Associations to commence in 2026
New post-conflict recovery fund established
The FIFA Council met ahead of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ final in Doha, Qatar, and took key decisions in relation to the development of youth football and governance matters. With excitement mounting following the final draw that took place on 5 December 2025 in Washington DC, the FIFA Council approved a record-breaking financial contribution of USD 727 million to be distributed as a result of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ . The biggest share - USD 655 million, marking a 50% increase compared to the previous edition - will be paid out as prize money among the 48 participating teams as follows:
Champions: USD 50 million
Runners-up: USD 33 million
3rd place: USD 29 million
4th place: USD 27 million
5th-8th place: USD 19 million
9th-16th place: USD 15 million
17th- 32nd place: USD 11 million
33rd-48th place: USD 9 million
In addition, each qualified team will receive USD 1.5 million to cover preparation costs. This means that all Participating Member Associations are guaranteed at least USD 10.5 million each for their participation in next year's tournament. "The FIFA World Cup 2026 will also be groundbreaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. A new festival-style U-15 tournament for all Member Associations As part of FIFA's unwavering commitment to promoting the youth game, the FIFA Council confirmed the introduction of new FIFA U-15 festival-style tournaments for boys and girls that will be open to all 211 FIFA Member Associations. The first edition will be contested by boys' teams and take place in 2026. The second instalment, in 2027, will feature girls' teams. Building on this momentum, from 2028 onwards, all Member Associations will be invited to participate with both their boys' and girls' U-15 teams in two separate competitions. To align with the development needs of U-15 players, the matches will be shorter in duration and will be played on smaller pitches, while teams will comprise between seven and nine players per side. "In recent years, FIFA has stepped up its efforts to boost youth football, the results of which are plain for all to see. We have been very active in promoting youth competitions and development, and this is a natural next step, and a very joyous one," said President Infantino. "Having FIFA U-15 festivals for boys and girls will be fundamental in FIFA's quest to give every talent a chance all over the world and yet another example of how FIFA reinvests in the game." Post-conflict recovery fund approved In line with FIFA's objective of promoting football's unifying values, the FIFA Council approved the establishment of a post-conflict recovery fund. This follows the announcement made by President Infantino at the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace on 13 October 2025 that FIFA intended to create a support mechanism for regions that have experienced conflict.
This financial instrument, which will be open to third-party contributions and be subject to strict oversight, will complement action already implemented under the FIFA Forward Programme and other FIFA initiatives.
Other matters Following the landmark decision taken by the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board to approve FIFA's proposal on the composition of the Olympic Football Tournaments Los Angeles 2028 (12 teams in the men's competition and 16 teams in the women's event), the FIFA Council confirmed the following slot allocations: Women's Olympic Football Tournament: AFC: 2.5; CAF: 2; Concacaf: 3; CONMEBOL: 2.5; OFC: 1; UEFA: 4; host country (United States): 1 Men's Olympic Football Tournament: AFC: 2; CAF: 2; Concacaf: 1; CONMEBOL: 2; OFC: 1; UEFA: 3; host country (United States): 1 Based on the FIFA Council decision adopted in March this year to stage the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup™ in 2028 and following extensive consultations that yielded a broad consensus across stakeholders, the FIFA Council determined that the tournament will be held from 5 to 30 January 2028.
