Dhe European football clubs will in future receive more money from FIFA for sending their players to World Cups. Accordingly, the world association compensates the clubs for the 2026 men’s tournament with a total of 355 million dollars (around 330 million euros).
This emerges from the new memorandum of understanding between FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA), which FIFA President Gianni Infantino and ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi signed this Monday at the 29th ECA General Assembly in the Hungarian capital Budapest.
At the 2030 World Cup, $355 million will flow to the clubs. For the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, FIFA paid significantly less compensation to the clubs for the released players ($209 million each). From 2026, however, significantly more teams (48 instead of 32) and thus more players will be in action at the World Cup tournaments.
Club World Cup also for women’s teams
The new agreement in principle is valid up to and including the end of 2030 and includes a commitment by European clubs to comply with the international match calendar. The ECA also confirmed its support for the new FIFA Club World Cup from 2025. Twelve of the 32 participating teams will come from Europe.
The agreement in principle also provides for the organization of an annual match between the winner of the European Champions League and the winner of an intercontinental play-off tournament, as well as the creation of a Club World Cup for women footballers.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi is the Chair of the ECA.
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Image: dpa
“This is a momentous day for the future of football and its long-term stability,” Infantino said in a statement. Al-Khelaifi said: “The Memorandum of Understanding recognizes the central role of clubs in football around the world.” It ensures that they are properly involved in decisions that affect them.
The ECA, led by Al-Khelaifi, represents the interests of numerous European clubs. At the meeting in Budapest, an enlargement of the association is to be decided – from around 240 to over 330 full members.