The FIFA World Cup is over a year away, and it will take place across North America. But before that, FIFA will present a bit of a preview of sorts. Starting on June 15, 32 of the top clubs in the world will compete in a World Cup-style tournament until a winner is determined in the final matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Of course, bragging rights will be on the line, as the winning club can boast that they are the best in the world. However, what do all of the clubs receive for winning and competing in the FIFA Club World Cup?
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 total prize pool explained
The total prize pot for the FIFA Club World Cup is worth $1 billion in total according to FIFA's official website. There is also a set payout for each club, depending on which round of the Club World Cup they reach. The performance pillar is $425 million.
How prize money is distributed at the 2025 Club World Cup
Below is a full breakdown of the prize payout for each round, according to FIFA's official website.
Stage | Payout per club (in USD) |
|---|---|
Group Stage (three matches each) | $2 million per win/$1 million per draw |
Round of 16 | +$7.5 million |
Quarterfinals | +$13.125 million |
Semifinals | +$21 million |
Finalists | +$30 million |
Winner | +$40 million |
The two finalists in the FIFA Club World Cup will each earn $30 million. The winning club that hoists the trophy at MetLife Stadium will receive an additional $40 million. Depending on how each club performs in the group stage, the winning club can earn a maximum of over $125 million.
What each team earns for participating in the Club World Cup
We know what each club will earn per victory in the FIFA Club World Cup, but what about for strictly participating. Well, that depends on the continent of the participating clubs. There is $525 million devoted to the participation pillar.
Here is the full breakdown of the participation distribution to all 32 clubs, via FIFA's official website.
Continent | Payout per club (in USD) |
|---|---|
Europe | $12.81-38.19 million |
South America | $15.21 million |
North, Central America, and Caribbean | $9.55 million |
Asia | $9.55 million |
Africa | $9.55 million |
Oceania | $3.58 million |
For European teams, there is no set participation payout, as it depends on "a ranking based on sporting and commercial criteria," per FIFA. Hence, the range of $12.81 and $38.19 million.
Clubs from South America will earn $15.21 million each for participating. Slubs from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and North and Central America will each receive $9.55 million. Oceania clubs will receive the lowest participation payout of $3.58 million.
Do players get a share of Club World Cup prize money?
Players will receive a share of Club World Cup prize money, but it's unclear of how much of a percentage they will get.
The MLS is at forefront of the prize money controversy. With the Seattle Sounders, Inter Miami CF, and Los Angeles FC, Major League Soccer (MLS) is set to have players receive 50-percent of each club's $9.55 million participation payout. However, according to the league's collective bargaining agreement, via USA Today's Safid Deen, players are capped at $1 million for participating in outside tournaments.
The Sounders protested the lack of pay for participating in the tournament, wearing shirts that read, "Club World Cash Grab" and "Fair Share Now," ahead of their June 1 match against Minnesota United FC.
The MLS Players Association expressed their support of the Sounders in a statement released that day.
“For months, the players have privately and respectfully invited the league to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal. Instead of recognizing the players who have brought MLS to the global stage, the league – which routinely asks the (player association) to deviate from the (collective bargaining agreement) – is clinging to an out-of-date CBA provision and ignoring longstanding international standards on what players typically receive from FIFA prize money in global competitions.
“It is the players who make the game possible. It is the players who are lifting MLS up on the global stage. They expect to be treated fairly and with respect.”
Front Office Sports mentions that Real Madrid, which is participating in the Club World Cup, is offering to give each of their players $1.1 million in bonuses if they win the entire tournament.