World Cup players to earn $5,000 each day for clubs from $355M FIFA fund

GENEVA (AP) — Players at this month's World Cup will earn their clubs about $5,000 per day from a $355 million FIFA fund.

FIFA gave details Friday on how it will allocate the clubs’ share of revenue for those whose players are among the 1,248 picked for the 48-team tournament in North America and — for the first time — also those called up for the 905 qualifying games.

Soccer's ruling body said players involved in the qualifying program earned $2,360 per game for the clubs they were registered with during that period.

Thousands of clubs worldwide should get some money because 209 national teams played games. Only Eritrea and Russia, which is suspended from international competitions, did not take part.

Manchester City’s 19 players picked for this World Cup is the most provided by any club. It also got the biggest share from the FIFA payment program at the 2022 edition in Qatar and for the Russia finals four years earlier.

City’s previous payments were $4.6 million and $5 million from a fund that was $209 million for each tournament.

The FIFA fund for clubs was agreed in 2023 to be $355 million for this tournament. It sets $250 million aside to reward clubs for their World Cup players, and $100 million for clubs who sent players to qualifying games.

FIFA said the other $5 million will cover administrative costs.

Other clubs set for multi-million dollar payments from FIFA include Bayern Munich with 18 players selected, and Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal each with 16. Outside of Europe, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal is the best represented with 12 players.

Crystal Palace has outscored Liverpool and Real Madrid. The new Europa Conference League champion has 12 players involved in this World Cup while Liverpool has 11 and Madrid 10.

FIFA payments to clubs from World Cup revenues started at the 2010 edition as part of negotiations to create and recognize the influential European Club Association two years earlier. The fund was $40 million in 2010 in South Africa and $70 million from the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

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