• Loading stock data...
Saturday, February 14, 2026

FIFA to Pay Clubs $209M for Players’ World Cup Participation

  • FIFA will pay clubs with players on World Cup teams a total of $209 million.
  • Some teams pocketed millions this way in 2018.
World-Cup
Shutterstock

Soccer teams will profit handsomely from their players’ presence in November’s World Cup.

FIFA announced it would pay out $209 million in total to clubs over the course of the World Cup. Teams will receive $10,000 per player per day while the player is involved in the Qatar-based tournament.

  • The payments will go to all clubs the player has played for in the two-year period prior to the World Cup.
  • FIFA gave out $8,530 per player per day in the 2018 World Cup, on top of $10 million to each country whose team made the group stage.
  • The 2018 payments went to more than 400 clubs across 63 countries. 

Manchester City earned $5 million from its players’ participation in the 2018 tournament in Russia. The Premier League team will have 17 players in Qatar. Chelsea will have 20.

Going Meta

In addition to the physical world, FIFA is growing its presence in the metaverse.

Soccer’s global governing body agreed to a multiyear deal with metaverse and gaming platform Roblox, which claims 50 million members.

FIFA will launch an immersive gaming environment within Roblox ahead of the World Cup, including content from its FIFA+ streaming service.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Feb 11, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Jaelin Kauf of the United States during freestyle skiing women's moguls final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park

The Surprise Hit of the Winter Olympics: First-Person Drone Views

Tiny drone cameras have reshaped the Olympics viewing experience.
Feb 11, 2026; Milan, Italy; Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Olympic Figure Skaters Pay Out of Pocket for $9,000 Costumes

For four minutes on ice, stakes are high—and prices even higher.

LA28 Stands by Casey Wasserman After Reviewing Epstein Ties

Abby Wambach and Chappell Roan have left Wasserman this week.

Epstein Emails Show His F1 Ties Ran Deep

The sex trafficker’s circles included many of the biggest names in F1.

Featured Today

Milan’s Olympic Village Is Built for Performance—and Partying

Making Milan’s Olympic Village was a five-year sprint.
February 5, 2026

Welcome to the Prediction-Market Super Bowl

Hundreds of millions of dollars are being traded across many platforms.
Feb 1, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots players arrive prior to Super Bowl LX at San Jose Mineta International Airport.
February 3, 2026

Private Equity Has Reached the Super Bowl

The Patriots are one of four NFL teams with PE investment.
University of Southern California
January 31, 2026

College Athletic Departments Are Wooing Recruits With Content Studios

Schools are creating content studios to win recruits and donor dollars.
Nov 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward/center Lauri Markkanen (23) and Ryan Smith after a game against the New York Knicks at the Delta Center.

Jazz Owner Defends Team After $500,000 Tanking Fine From NBA

The Pacers were also fined $100,000 by the NBA.
Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) and wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. (15) reacts in the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium.
February 12, 2026

Panthers Owner Aims to Build Charlotte Into a Destination City

Tepper Sports is upgrading the Panthers’ stadium and building a new music venue.
exclusive
February 12, 2026

Orioles Owner Met With Jeffrey Epstein

The meeting has not been previously reported.
Sponsored

Olympic Hockey Betting Preview: USA and Canada Take Center Ice

Olympic hockey betting odds shift as USA and Canada dominate early action, per BetMGM’s 2026 Winter Games preview.
Jan 4, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates with safety Donovan McMillon (31) following a sack against the Cincinnati Bengals during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium. The play set a new NFL single season sack record by Garrett.
February 11, 2026

Browns President: We’re ‘Easy to Pick On Right Now’ but Trust Our..

Dave Jenkins oversees a portfolio featuring NFL, NBA, and MLS teams.
Feb 7, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) defends Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the second quarter at Kia Center.
February 10, 2026

NBA Teams Ramp Up Their Tanking Efforts Ahead of All-Star Break

Utah’s stars have not been on the court in the final minutes of the last three games.
February 10, 2026

Gary Vaynerchuk Wants to Own the Jets—Not Just a 1% Slice

The celebrity entrepreneur wants to own the Jets outright one day.
February 9, 2026

Major Changes Could Come to Seattle Sports in 2026

The city could also get an NBA team by year’s end.