Rain of Dollar Prizes for World Cup Participants and Champions

FIFA is set to allocate a fantastic amount of funds for the participants of the 2026 World Cup. The total prize money and distribution for the largest football tournament in the world amounts to 871 million US dollars, or approximately 15.2 trillion rupiah (assuming an exchange rate of 17,500 rupiah per US dollar). This prize makes this World Cup edition the most luxurious in the history of the tournament.

The total prize money was announced during the 36th FIFA Council meeting held in Vancouver, Canada, at the end of April 2026. The total prize money is allocated for sports awards, preparation funds, and compensation for clubs that release players to the tournament.

The prize has nearly doubled compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In the tournament four years ago, FIFA allocated a total prize of 440 million US dollars for the 32 participating countries that qualified for the final round, as well as for the teams' performances throughout the competition, from the group stage, knockout phase, to the final match.

In the 2026 FIFA World Cup, each qualifying country will receive at least $12.5 million or approximately Rp218.7 billion, solely for their participation in the tournament. This prize is awarded to the 48 countries that advance to the final round. They are divided into 12 groups, each containing four teams or participating countries.

The prize consists of a preparation fund of 2.5 million US dollars and a qualification bonus of 10 million US dollars, bringing the total for each participant to 12.5 million US dollars. This amount represents an increase of approximately 20 percent compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. At that time, FIFA awarded each team a total of 10.5 million US dollars, which included a preparation fund of 1.5 million US dollars and a qualification bonus of 9 million US dollars.

In addition to the initial participation funds, participating countries will also receive additional prizes based on the team's performance during the competition. This means that each team will receive varying amounts of money according to their achievements in each phase they undergo, starting from the participation funds, which are the same for every team, plus the team's performance in the group stage, knockout phase, and up to the final match.

The team that becomes the Champion of the 2026 World Cup is expected to receive 53.5 million US dollars or approximately 936 billion rupiah, an increase from 42 million US dollars in 2022. Meanwhile, the runner-up is projected to receive 36.5 million US dollars, up from the previous 30 million US dollars, the third place 32.5 million US dollars, and the fourth place 30.5 million US dollars. Teams that finish in positions 33 to 48, meaning they are eliminated in the group stage, will still receive 12.5 million US dollars as participation funds.

The prize is relatively large compared to the prizes in other football championships. In the 2024 Copa America, or the international football championship in the Americas, for example, the winner takes home a prize of 16 million US dollars, while the participation prize for each team is 2 million US dollars. In the recent 2024 European Championship, the participation money for each team was 9.25 million euros or 10 million US dollars, while Spain, which won the tournament, received a total of 28.25 million euros or 30.5 million US dollars.

FIFA also confirmed that clubs will receive financial compensation for releasing players to participate in the tournament. For the 2026 World Cup, a total of 355 million US dollars will be distributed to clubs whose players are called up, representing a significant increase compared to the 2022 edition in Qatar.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA allocated a total fund of 209 million US dollars to compensate clubs whose players participated in the World Cup. Clubs from various divisions and countries around the world received payments based on the number of days their players spent with the national team. Clubs received approximately 10,950 US dollars per day, per player, regardless of how many minutes the player participated in the matches.

From the organization of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA is projected to generate profits reaching 11-13 billion US dollars or approximately Rp 192 trillion-Rp 227 trillion (at an exchange rate of Rp 17,500 per US dollar) for the quadrennial tournament. In comparison, the 2024 European Championship generated revenues of 2.5 billion euros or Rp 44 trillion, while the 2024 Paris Olympics are expected to yield between 6.7 billion euros and 11.1 billion euros (Rp 116 trillion-Rp 191 trillion).

In addition to operational costs for FIFA and prizes for World Cup participants, the majority of that revenue is distributed to 211 member associations through development programs and the enhancement of the quality of football worldwide by building football infrastructure, academies, and supporting national teams in member countries.

FIFA's main sources of commercial revenue come primarily from a number of key pillars that have experienced significant growth this cycle, including television broadcasting rights, ticket sales, customer service (hospitality), sponsorships, and licensing.

The sale of global broadcasting rights has become the largest contributor. The decision to expand the number of participants from 32 to 48 teams has increased the number of matches from 64 to 104 games. This provides more content to sell to broadcasters in major markets such as North America and Europe.

In the 2026 World Cup, FIFA aims to generate revenue from broadcasting rights sales of at least 4 billion US dollars (approximately 70 trillion IDR). Meanwhile, in the 2022 World Cup, the sale of broadcasting rights provided FIFA with an income of over 2.9 billion US dollars or around 49.6 trillion IDR.

In Indonesia, TVRI is the official broadcaster, which will air 104 matches (98 live broadcasts and 6 delayed broadcasts). The broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup obtained by TVRI are a state assignment to provide the general public with the opportunity to enjoy the most prestigious football event in the world.

Next, the target for ticket sales and hospitality soared to US$3 billion (Rp 595 trillion). FIFA implemented a dynamic pricing scheme that drew sharp criticism from football fans. The most expensive ticket for the final at MetLife Stadium in New York, New Jersey, was priced at US$32,970 (around Rp 580 million). By comparison, the most expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar was US$1,600 (Rp 28 million).

Meanwhile, commercial partnerships or sponsorships with global brands such as Adidas, Aramco, and Coca Cola are projected to contribute 2.7 billion US dollars.

If traced further back, the monetary awards for participants and winners of the World Cup tournament have been given by FIFA for a long time. The value of the prizes awarded to World Cup contestants has also continued to increase in line with the rising number of participants in the final round.

Although the tournament has been held since 1930, FIFA officially began providing cash prizes openly to participating teams and World Cup champions starting from the 1982 tournament in Spain. The total prize money allocated for the 24 participating countries is approximately 20 million US dollars.

At that time, Italy, as the winner, was entitled to a prize of 1.4 million US dollars after defeating Germany (then West Germany) in the final with a score of 3-1. Germany itself returned home with a cash prize of 900,000 US dollars.

Four years later, at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, FIFA offered a total prize pool of US$26 million, a 30 percent increase from the previous tournament. Champion Argentina received US$2.2 million, while runner-up West Germany took home US$1.6 million.

The total prize money provided by FIFA during the 1990 World Cup in Italy increased to 54 million US dollars, a rise of 107% compared to four years earlier. West Germany returned home with 3.5 million US dollars after defeating Argentina in the final match with a score of 1-0, while the Tango Team returned with a prize of 2.5 million US dollars.

At the 2002 World Cup, which was held for the first time in Asia in Japan and South Korea, the total prize money increased by 52 percent to 156.6 million US dollars. The champion, Brazil, was entitled to a prize of 8.5 million US dollars, while Germany, as the finalist, took home 6.3 million US dollars.

The total prize money for the 2014 World Cup increased again to US$358 million. The winning team, Germany, received US$35 million, while runner-up Argentina took home US$24 million. The third- and fourth-place finishers, the Netherlands and Brazil, took home US$22 million and US$20 million, respectively.

Meanwhile, at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the total prize money for all participants was US$400 million, an increase of only about 10 percent. The winning team, France, was entitled to US$38 million in prize money. Meanwhile, Croatia, as runner-up, received US$29 million. Belgium and England, in third and fourth place, received US$24 million and US$22 million, respectively.

Finally, at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA allocated a total prize pool of US$440 million, a 10 percent increase over the previous year. World champions Argentina received US$42 million in prize money, while runners-up France took home US$30 million. Third-place Croatia received US$27 million, and fourth-place Morocco received US$25 million.

In general, the prize money, including the initial participation fund (12.5 million USD in 2026), is used to cover the operational costs of the team during qualifications and tournament preparations, such as accommodation, travel, and equipment.

The funds received by the national football federation were also utilized for operational expenses during the final round. In addition, most federations provided bonuses to the players, coaches, and technical staff who participated in recognition of their achievements from the prize money.

For federations with a small budget, the prize can serve as a financial boost for the federation and become a primary driver for the improvement of football quality in developing countries. One of its purposes is to ensure the sustainability of domestic leagues and the development of sports infrastructure, such as upgrading or building training facilities, stadiums, and football academies in their respective countries.

Other beneficiaries include the use of the prize to fund youth player development programs, to develop a structured and systematic football training curriculum for children, and to regularly enhance the quality of local competitions such as U-10, U-12, and U-16.

The funds are also utilized by the national football federation to finance the enhancement of coaching competencies through courses or coaching certifications, and to develop coaching methods.

Although the Indonesian national team failed to qualify for the finals, FIFA still allocated funds for assistance and coaching during the World Cup to the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) for the development of national football. Meanwhile, for the Indonesian people, the 2026 World Cup provides a welcome respite from the economic uncertainty gripping the country. (KOMPAS LITBANG)