Varney & Co. Host Stuart Varney spoke about FIFA President Gianni Infantino praising the incredible enthusiasm for the World Cup in the American host cities during an appearance on Fox & Friends.
The richest FIFA World Cup in history will come to a close on Sunday, with Argentina and Spain competing not only for football’s most coveted trophy, but also for a record $50 million championship prize.
The 2026 tournament was the first World Cup to feature 48 teams and 104 matches, prompting FIFA to increase its total financial payout to a record $871 million. Of that amount, $655 million is tied to performance-based prize pools, with payouts increasing each round as teams advance in the tournament.
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Sunday’s final, with the trophy and a record $50 million on the line, will cap the richest World Cup in history. (Jordan Bank/FIFA/Getty Images)
In addition to performance-based prize money, each country that qualified for the World Cup was guaranteed a significant financial benefit before it began. FIFA has allocated $10 million to each participating federation to fund qualifications and a further $2.5 million to fund preparations, as well as additional contributions to cover travel, logistics and delegation costs.
This meant each country was guaranteed at least $12.5 million before kicking the ball, with the opportunity to skyrocket their earnings by progressing out of the group stage and through the knockout rounds.
Teams that reached the quarterfinals earned $19 million, while those eliminated in the round of 16 earned $15 million. Nations eliminated in the round of 16 took home $11 million, while the 16 teams eliminated in the group stage received $9 million each.
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The winner of Sunday’s match will earn $50 million and the runner-up will earn $33 million, meaning the prize money for the championship match will be $17 million.
Financial rewards have increased dramatically along with the tournament itself. When Italy won the 1982 World Cup, the total prize money was only $20 million and the champion earned $2.2 million. Forty-four years later, FIFA’s total financial payout had risen to a record $871 million, while the champion prize alone had increased more than 20-fold to $50 million.
The United States, which reached the round of 16 before losing to Belgium, earned $15 million in prize money from the results.
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Lionel Messi celebrates with fans and teammates after winning the FIFA World Cup Qatar final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail city, Qatar. (Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images)
Prize money is paid to each national football federation, which then determines how it is distributed among players, coaches and development programs in accordance with its own policies.
The 2026 World Cup was also historic off the field, becoming the first tournament to be co-hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.