​We’ve reached the final eight teams at the 2026 World Cup, which means a champion will be crowned very soon. After the trophy is lifted, celebrations will erupt with champagne, fireworks of cheers, and a flood of social media posts as fans express their elation in the unique, unmistakable voice of soccer enthusiasts. But beyond the podium and the glory, a pragmatic question looms: how much do the champions actually get paid?
Among the eight remaining teams, only four have previously tasted World Cup glory—Argentina, England, Spain, and France. That means the other four nations aren’t just playing for history; they’re also playing for a massive financial windfall that comes with advancing deep into the tournament.
Here’s a breakdown of the prize money for players and teams at the 2026 World Cup, based on how far a team advances:
What does the World Cup champion earn in 2026? The winning team will take home $51 million (USD), according to Sports Illustrated, in addition to the $2.5 million in preparation funds that each country received before the tournament. From there, prize money declines with each step toward the final, distributing rewards to teams as they progress.
– 1st place: $51 million
– 2nd place: $34 million
– 3rd place: $30 million
– 4th place: $28 million
– 5th–8th place: $20 million
– 9th–16th place: $16 million
– 17th–32nd place: $12 million
– 33rd–48th place: $10 million
How much total money was allocated for the tournament? Sports Illustrated notes that $871 million was provided to cover costs and to compensate the 48 participating teams. This represents a 50% increase from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which featured fewer teams and a smaller overall payout pool.
What did the United States men’s national team (USMNT) earn? The USMNT reached the round of 16 and secured $16 million in prize money. However, under the terms of the 2022 collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Soccer, 20% of World Cup winnings go to the federation, with the remaining 80% divided between the men’s and women’s national teams. In practice, the prize money is split, so the USMNT and the U.S. women’s national team share the earnings. If the women’s team qualifies for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, their prize money would likewise be subject to a similar split with the men’s team, though the 2027 Women’s World Cup prize pool has not yet been finalized. Notably, the 2023 Women’s World Cup prize pool saw a significant jump—from $110 million—which followed a substantial increase from the 2019 edition.
As a rough figure, the combined prize pool from this World Cup led to the men’s team and the 26 players who will be part of next year’s women’s squad sharing approximately $246,153.85 each. This amount represents 80% of the $16 million total prize pot, distributed across the 52 players—26 men and 26 women—representing the United States this year and next.
This context helps underscore that World Cup success isn’t just about national pride or the celebration on the field; it also translates into substantial financial rewards for players and their federations, with careful distribution guided by collective bargaining agreements and federation policies. The 2026 edition continues the trend of ever-larger prize pools, recognizing the global scale and the high stakes of the world’s premier soccer tournament.