FIFA World Cup 2026 Prize Money: How much will the champions earn? Even bottom-ranked teams set for huge rewards

With just one day left until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, excitement is building among the 48 competing nations. The tournament will start on June 11 in Mexico City, and teams will not only participate for football's biggest prize but also for a massive financial reward.

FIFA has announced a massive increase of almost 50 percent in the tournament's prize pool, taking the total prize money to a whopping $655 million (approximately Rs 6,240 crore). The expanded purse makes the 23rd edition the most lucrative in the history of the FIFA World Cup.

Last edition's prize money pool

The prize pool for the FIFA World Cup has seen a huge jump from the $440 million awarded during the 2022 tournament in Qatar. A big share of the increased prize money has been reserved for the champions, who will take home $50 million (approximately Rs 476 crore).

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The runners-up will get $33 million (around Rs 314 crore), while the team who secures the third place will get $29 million (approximately Rs 276 crore). The fourth-placed team will be given $27 million (Rs 257 crore) for its campaign.

Teams who fail to reach the later stages of the competition will also receive a good amount of financial rewards. The sides eliminated in the quarter-final will earn $19 million (approximately Rs 181 crore) each, while teams to face disqualification in the Round of 16 will take home $15 million (around Rs 143 crore).

On the other hand, countries exiting in the newly introduced Round of 32 will get $11 million (approximately Rs 104 crore). Teams that fail to go beyond the group stage will be rewarded with $9 million (around Rs 85 crore), ensuring that every participating country benefits financially from the expanded tournament.