Manchester City topped the list of clubs expected to receive the highest compensation from FIFA for their players' participation with their national teams in the 2026 World Cup, with an estimated total of about $4.4 million, according to estimates prepared by The Athletic based on the distribution mechanism in FIFA Circular No. 1965.

European dominance of the list Barcelona came in second with expected returns of $3.9 million, followed by Bayern Munich with $3.4 million, then Arsenal with $3.3 million, while Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid shared fifth and sixth places with estimated returns of $3.2 million each.

Crystal Palace took seventh place with expected returns of $2.7 million, while Manchester United and Real Madrid were eighth and ninth with $2.6 million each, followed by Milan in tenth place with $2.4 million.

These estimates are based on a study that covered all clubs eligible for FIFA compensation, while the published ranking is limited to the top ten clubs with the highest returns.

FIFA has allocated $209 million for the club compensation program for the 2026 World Cup, which is separate from the financial prizes for the Club World Cup, totaling $1 billion, in addition to $250 million under the solidarity program dedicated to developing football at the club level.

How does FIFA calculate compensation?

A club receives $5,000 per day for each player participating with his national team in the World Cup. Compensation is calculated from the date of release of players to their national teams on May 25 until the day after the team's last match in the tournament. FIFA also gives clubs $2,362 for each qualifying match in which the player is on the official roster. The daily compensation has decreased compared to the 2022 Qatar World Cup, when it was $10,950 per player, due to the increase in the tournament duration and the increase in participating teams to 48 teams. According to the program mechanism, a club receives at least $160,000 for a player who departs after the first round, while compensation may rise to about $285,000 for a player whose team reaches the final.