FIFA details Club World Cup prize money with $125M target for the winner in $1BN fund

By Canadian Press on March 26, 2025.

ZURICH (AP) — The winner of FIFA’s first 32-team Club World Cup in the United States could earn $125 million as details of a $1 billion prize money fund were finally published Wednesday.

FIFA said it allocated $525 million in guaranteed fees for teams taking part in the June 14-July 13 tournament, ranging from $38.19 million to the top-ranked European team – likely Real Madrid – to $3.58 million for the Oceania representative Auckland City.

A further $475 million is earned by results in the 63 games, with $2 million paid for winning group stage games, $7.5 million for playing in the round of 16 and $40 million to the team that wins the final at MetLife Stadium near New York.

The golden trophy has been sitting in the Oval Office at the White House this month after FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivered it to President Donald Trump.

The prize fund was delayed until a global broadcast deal was belatedly agreed in December with streaming service DAZN, which then got a major investment from a state-backed sports agency in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia also was confirmed in December by FIFA as host of the men’s 2034 World Cup.

Each of the 12 European teams in the Club World Cup lineup will be paid at least $12.81 million as an entry fee. Payments will be decided by “a ranking based on sporting and commercial criteria,” FIFA said without providing details.

Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea also qualified by either winning a Champions League title from 2021 to 2024, or having consistent results in the competition over those four seasons.

Countries were capped at two entries, unless they had three Champions League winners. Salzburg of Austria qualified as the final European team, despite never advancing beyond the round of 16, because higher-ranked clubs like Liverpool and Barcelona were blocked by the country cap.

The six South American teams each will get a $15.21 million entry fee.

Teams from Africa, Asia and the CONCACAF region of North America — including Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, despite not winning the MLS Cup title last season — each will get $9.55 million for playing.

Leon of Mexico is currently contesting its removal from the competition by FIFA because it is in shared ownership with Pachuca which also qualified.

FIFA aims to pay $250 million to clubs worldwide who did not qualify for the tournament. It is unclear how many clubs will be paid, or how much they will get.

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The Associated Press