FIFA To Pay Clubs $355 Million For Player Release In World 2026

On Monday, the European Club Association (ECA) and FIFA announced that the compensation paid to clubs that release players for the men's World Cup has been increased by almost 70% to $355 million for the 2026 and 2030 tournaments.

This Club Benefits Programme is designed to provide clubs with a portion of the revenue generated by national team competitions in exchange for releasing their players and also offers protection for clubs in case their players get injured on international duty.

The amount earmarked for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups was $209 million, and a new Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the ECA General Assembly in Budapest, Hungary.

ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi expressed his excitement at the signing of this landmark agreement and highlighted that it acknowledges the significant role of clubs in football globally and ensures that they are correctly represented in decision-making around matters that affect them.

In earlier news this month, FIFA had announced that a 32-team Club World Cup would be held every four years from June 2025, replacing the previous annual competition, which featured seven teams. Some leagues such as Spain's LaLiga were opposed to this decision.

However, this MoU will see FIFA and ECA collaborating on the various sporting and commercial aspects for the 2025 edition.

"FIFA and ECA will also now establish closer working practices on a future new Club World Cup... and working together on future editions including on potential structures for managing the commercial rights going forward," said the statement.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed that the newly structured international calendar has been endorsed by the ECA. He also noted the exciting plans ahead, including the new FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 and the new FIFA women's Club World Cup, and the need for close collaboration with clubs in Europe and worldwide to make these events a success.