Arab Teams Earn $81 Million at 2026 World Cup

Arab teams participating in the 2026 World Cup have achieved financial returns amounting to around $81 million, following FIFA's implementation of the largest prize pool in the tournament's history, totaling $727 million.

FIFA has approved a new financial system for the current edition, allocating $655 million distributed according to the results of the teams in the tournament, in addition to $72 million as preparation fees, amounting to $1.5 million for each of the 48 participating teams, bringing the total prize money to a record $727 million.

The Moroccan national team topped the Arab nations in terms of prize money, having earned $20.5 million after reaching the quarter-finals, while the Egyptian team came in second with a total of $16.5 million after advancing to the Round of 16.

The Algerian national team has received $12.5 million following its qualification for the Round of 32, while the teams from Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Jordan each earned $10.5 million, having exited the competition in the group stage. This amount is the guaranteed minimum for every team that qualified for the finals.

The 2026 edition has witnessed an unprecedented surge in prize money, rising by more than 50% compared to the Qatar 2022 finals, coinciding with an increase in the number of participating teams to 48. This move aligns with FIFA's strategy to enhance financial returns allocated to national federations.

In terms of individual awards for the top-placed national teams, the Spanish national team, World Champions, received $50 million, while the Argentine team, the tournament runners-up, earned $33 million. The English team, finishing third, secured $29 million, and the French team, in fourth place, received $27 million.

With the addition of a preparation allowance of $1.5 million for each team, Spain's total prize money has risen to $51.5 million, Argentina to $34.5 million, England to $30.5 million, and France to $28.5 million, as part of the standard prize system established by FIFA for the 2026 World Cup.