I really want to be able to look forward to the World Cup that starts in a few weeks. But almost every single day there is miserable news from a World Cup that is completely off track.
It is incredibly expensive for fans to travel to accommodation and get tickets to matches, it is also expensive for national teams that instead of experiencing normal that a World Cup playoff provides good income can go into the red.
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The “World Football Federation” has issued an official statement to remedy the problem of extreme costs.
FIFA has agreed to a major change that affects all 48 World Cup nations ahead of the upcoming tournament.
Despite the fact that there are only 45 days left until the World Cup, the organizers – first and foremost FIFA – continue to make huge decisions in preparation for the biggest championship of all time. For the first time, 48 nations will participate, up from the previous 32.
Several of the participating countries have raised a number of issues ahead of the World Cup. A number of national football associations have flagged concerns related to high travel costs, logistics and even taxes – some even fear losing money even if their teams advance to the later rounds of the tournament.
Tax rules create headaches for several nations
Only 18 of the 48 nations have signed a double tax treaty with the United States, meaning their delegations are exempt from paying federal taxes. Co-hosts Canada and Mexico are among those who have signed double tax treaties, along with several European nations. However, smaller nations could be hit with huge tax bills.
Back in December, FIFA announced a record-breaking prize pool of $727 million. This means that each nation will receive at least $10.5 million, while the winners will receive $50 million.
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Increased premiums and development funds on the way
After further talks between FIFA and national federations, the prize pool will be increased. In addition, development funds will be distributed to all of FIFA’s 211 member nations, according to The Guardian.
FIFA has agreed in principle to increase prize money and participation fees ahead of a FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver, Canada, this week.
The federation issued the following statement:
– Ahead of a FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver, Canada, on April 28, 2026, FIFA can confirm that they are in talks with federations around the world to increase available revenue.
“This includes a proposed increase in financial contributions to all qualified teams for the 2026 World Cup, as well as development funds available to all 211 member federations,” the statement continues.
“The 2026 World Cup will be a game-changer in terms of financial contributions to the global football community, and FIFA is proud to be in its strongest financial position ever, benefiting global sport through FIFA’s Forward programme. Depending on the talks, further details will be provided shortly, the statement concludes.
FIFA failed to negotiate tax exemptions this time – despite having done so in previous tournaments.
