Manchester City have come out as the largest beneficiaries of FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme for the 2026 World Cup, pocketing an estimated $4.4 million for releasing players to the tournament, according to figures compiled by The Athletic.
The Premier League champions lead the list ahead of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, with payouts tied to how many players each club sent to the tournament and how deep those players ran in the competition.
FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme compensates clubs for making players available for international duty during the World Cup, with payments calculated based on the number of days spent with national teams, covering both preparation camps and the tournament itself.
Barcelona finished second on $3.9 million, with Bayern Munich third on $3.4 million. Arsenal took fourth spot with $3.3 million, narrowly ahead of Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid, who both collected $3.2 million.
Crystal Palace rounded out a strong showing with $2.7 million, edging out Manchester United and Real Madrid, who each received $2.6 million. AC Milan completed the top 10 with $2.4 million.
Top 10 Clubs By FIFA World Cup Payout:
- Manchester City (England) – $4.4 million
- Barcelona (Spain) – $3.9 million
- Bayern Munich (Germany) – $3.4 million
- Arsenal (England) – $3.3 million
- Paris Saint-Germain (France) – $3.2 million
- Atletico Madrid (Spain) – $3.2 million
- Crystal Palace (England) – $2.7 million
- Manchester United (England) – $2.6 million
- Real Madrid (Spain) – $2.6 million
- AC Milan (Italy) – $2.4 million
The Athletic notes the figures are estimates drawn from FIFA’s distribution formula set out in Circular No. 1965, which governs how funds are allocated to clubs under the Club Benefits Programme.
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