FIFA has increased the money allocated to the 2026 World Cup to help teams cover rising costs linked to travel and operations across North America.
The organisation said on Tuesday that total distributions for the 48 participating teams have risen to $871 million, up from $727 million announced in December. The update followed a FIFA Council meeting ahead of this week’s Congress in Vancouver.
The tournament will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Several national associations had raised concerns about high costs, including travel between host cities, accommodation, taxes and general running expenses.
In response, FIFA raised the preparation grant per team from $1.5 million to $2.5 million. The qualification bonus also increased from $9 million to $10 million.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s president, said the organisation is in its strongest financial position and can now provide more support to member associations. FIFA expects to earn about $13 billion over the current four year cycle, with the 2026 tournament set to be the biggest so far.
