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World Cup Final: Here’s how much the teams win: The winner of the World Cup will hoist a trophy, receive championship rings for the first time and gain a lifetime of glory in what will be a defining moment in the country’s sports history. It’ll also lead to a significant payday.

The World Cup winner earns US$51 million. The second prize is US$34 million.

FIFA expanded the payout for the 2026 World Cup, setting a record with a combined $871 million paid to the 48 participating teams. That tally includes more than $100 million that was added in April after some federations in Europe lobbied for help to cover costs at a tournament across three countries that has required extensive travel and lodging costs.

The $51 million for either Argentina or Spain is a large sum, but it also pales in comparison to the fortunes that are spent on global soccer. It’s also smaller than what last year’s Club World Cup winner earned in a tournament also played in the U.S.

For perspective, the $51 million for the winner is less than the transfer fee paid Tuesday by English club Brighton for a 19-year-old defender who spent most of the World Cup on the bench, Croatia’s Luka Vušković.

Here’s what to know about the World Cup prize money:
All teams get paid

FIFA pays money to the 48 national federations in two categories: Prize money bonuses based on how far each team advances in the tournament and across-the-board payments to cover training and preparation costs.

All 48 get at least $12.5 million for competing in the World Cup, including $10 million in prize money for qualifying and playing in the group stage. Each receives $2.5 million for pre-tournament training and expenses. That upfront money was agreed at past World Cups to help avoid pre-tournament tensions when it wasn’t uncommon for players to claim that bonuses had not been paid by their federation.

The prize money goes up depending on how far the teams advance.
The higher amounts come after demands from federations

Some federations, especially from Europe, had told FIFA that the prize money structure and payments for preparation costs that had been set last year would see them lose money on the tournament unless their team went deep into the knockout rounds.

France federation president Philippe Diallo told sports daily L’Equipe he had for several months drawn FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s attention to World Cup teams not being properly rewarded, compared to what Club World Cup winner Chelsea got one year ago. That was $115 million, after FIFA had to promise a nine-figure reward that persuaded storied European clubs to play in the revamped competition.

World Cup teams playing games in the United States also faced some tax obligations that are exempted in Canada and Mexico.
World Cup champion gets the big bucks

The eventual champion receives $51 million, compared to Argentina’s federation $42 million for winning the 2022 tournament in Qatar. That 32-team edition had a total prize fund of $440 million.
Here is what the others are getting:

Runner-up: $34 million

Third place (England): $30 million

Fourth place (France): $28 million

Quarterfinalists (fifth to eight): $20 million each

Round of 16 (ninth to 16th): $16 million each

Round of 32 (17th to 32nd): $12 million each

Group stage (33rd-48th): $10 million each
Flights and hotels are covered

In addition to the payout sums and under World Cup regulations, FIFA is already obliged to pay for business‑class return flights for each federation to travel to the tournament plus board and lodging for a 50-person delegation, which includes the players. The hotel payments start five nights before a team’s first game and one night after it is eliminated.

#FIFA also covers the cost of domestic travel for up to 50 delegation members, and “a dedicated fleet of vehicles, including an equipment truck.”

The soccer federations of World Cup teams must pay for “adequate insurance ... including but not limited to injury, accident, disease and travel,” plus “incidental hotel costs” and housing additional members of a delegation.
The World Cup trophy

The greatest honor, of course, is the World Cup trophy.

On Sunday, the champions will celebrate with it after the final whistle during an award ceremony. The original trophy is not awarded permanently. Instead, the winners will be presented with a gold-plated replica, which they get to keep.

As for World Cup prize money, that’s paid by FIFA to the federations — not the players. It’s up to each federation’s rules how they handle the money.

For example: U.S. soccer will get to keep 20% of the prize money. The remaining 80% that the U.S. men’s national soccer team receives will be split evenly between the men’s and women’s national teams following a 2022 milestone agreement to pay its men’s and women’s teams equally, making the American national governing body the first in the sport to promise both sexes matching money.

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Luis Andres Henao And Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press

Erling #Haaland said Norway’s historic World Cup run inspired young footballers despite England’s extra-time quarter-final victory ending their remarkable campaign.

World Cup: South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams dies at 25. JOHANNESBURG — South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams, who played at the World Cup, has died. He was 25.

His death was confirmed by Gayton McKenzie, South Africa’s minister of sport, arts and culture, in a statement on Saturday.

“It is with profound shock and a heavy heart that I have learnt of the passing of Jayden Adams, midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana, at the age of 25,” McKenzie posted on X.

“South African football has lost one of its brightest young talents, and our nation mourns alongside his family, his team-mates and the millions of supporters.”

Adams helped South Africa reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.

Further details of his death were not given.

“The cause of Jayden’s passing has not yet been confirmed,” McKenzie said. “I wish to appeal to members of the media and the public to exercise restraint and compassion, and to refrain from speculation.”

Adams started South Africa’s first Group A game against the Czech Republic and was substituted at halftime. McKenzie said he played that game only hours after learning that his grandmother had died.

Adams played several seasons for Stellenbosch before joining Mamelodi Sundowns last year. He helped the club win the CAF (African) Champions League this year.

“Death has cruelly stolen one of our own. It has robbed our nation of a remarkable footballer,” the South African Football Players Union posted on X. “We will forever remember his humility, his extraordinary talent and the pride with which he represented South Africa. Rest in eternal peace, Jayden. You will never be forgotten.”

South #Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and the South African Federation of Trade Unions also expressed their condolences.

The Associated Press

Marc Marquez broke the lap record at Sachsen ring to take pole for the German Grand Prix on Saturday, clocking one minute 19.041 on his factory Ducati for his third pole of the MotoGP season.

#Egyptian football federation files a complaint against referee after World Cup exit. The Egyptian football federation said on Wednesday it had asked for the officiating team from the Pharaohs’ 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the last 16 of the World Cup to be thrown out of the competition.

“Hany Aburida, president of the Egyptian Football Federation, filed a complaint with FIFA, demanding an investigation into the French referee Francois Letexier... after the serious refereeing mistakes committed by the team of referees and double standards,” said a statement from the federation.

On Tuesday, Letexier ruled out a Mostafa Ziko goal when Egypt were leading 1-0 after VAR intervened to spot a foul on Lisandro Martinez much earlier in the move.

A few minutes later, Ziko put Egypt 2-0 up and on the brink of a place in the last eight for the first time, but there was further controversy in added time, after Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi had brought the champions level.

In the build-up to Argentina’s winner scored by Enzo Fernandez, Egypt believe they should have been awarded a penalty for a pull by Alexis Mac Allister on Hamdy Fathy.

“Aburida demanded the investigation of the entire team of referees, including the video technology referees, because of the blatant errors and insisting on not reviewing some of the footage that we believe are in favour of the Egyptian national team, and we see in it the Pharaohs’ right to a correct goal and a penalty,” said the Egyptian statement.

It added the president had also “demanded the exclusion of the referee and the entire crew from the World Cup after investigating these mistakes and proving the crime of discrimination against the Egyptian national team.”

The statement echoed remarks by Egypt coach Hossam Hassan immediately after the game.

“I do not want to put it nicely and talk about hard luck. We have been cheated unfairly today, we have suffered injustice,” Hassan told reporters.

“We haven’t seen respect or fair play. There has not been respect or fair play.”

Hassan told broadcaster BeIN Sports: “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running.

“In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champions received support at every level.”

#FIFA's Infantino says he told #Trump the Balogun case would be decided by independent judicial bodies.

Balogun was cleared to play for the United States in the World Cup round of 16 game against Belgium on Monday after FIFA lifted his one-match suspension. Belgium said it was challenging the decision.

#FIFA President Gianni Infantino says he discussed the red card suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun with Donald Trump, and he explained to the U.S. president that a decision on the matter would be taken by FIFA’s independent judicial bodies.

“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” Infantino said in a statement Monday on X. “That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”

#Ireland snatched a 33-31 victory over Australia in the Nations #Championship test in Sydney on Saturday, with Wallabies flyhalf Ben Donaldson missing a long-range penalty after the siren.

Flyers sign Ducks centre Carlsson to 5-year, US$90M offer sheet; Anaheim has 7 days to match. The Anaheim Ducks have seven days to exercise their right of first refusal on the player, per the NHL collective bargaining agreement.

The offer sheet comes 14 years after the Flyers, under previous management, offer-sheeting Nashville defenseman Shea Weber for $110 million over 14 years, which the Predators matched.

The 21-year-old Carlsson had 29 goals, 38 assists for 67 points in 70 games last season with the Ducks. He added 11 points in 12 playoff games to help lead Anaheim to the second round.

A native of Karlstad, Sweden, Carlsson has 141 points (61 goals, 80 assists) in 201 regular-season games with the Ducks. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound centre was selected by Anaheim second overall in the 2023 draft.

The Minnesota Wild in September signed Kirill Kaprizov to an eight-year, $136 million extension, giving him the richest contract in NHL history.

Kaprizov will count $17 million against the salary cap beginning next season, through 2034. That’s the highest annual average salary of any player since the league’s cap era began in 2005, surpassing Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl at $112 million over eight years, a $14 million annual average. Alex Ovechkin’s 13-year, $124 million contract signed with Washington in 2008 was previously the highest total value.