WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao’s first appearance at the men’s FIFA World Cup will come with a guaranteed payday from FIFA of at least $10.5 million, under a record financial package approved for the expanded 48-team tournament in North America.
FIFA said its council approved a total $727 million contribution to be distributed to the participating member associations for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA described it as a 50% increase compared with the previous men’s World Cup in Qatar.
Curaçao secured its first World Cup berth in November 2025.
What Curaçao is guaranteed
FIFA’s breakdown includes $655 million in prize money, plus an additional $1.5 million per qualified team to help cover preparation costs.
Under FIFA’s published prize scale, the lowest finish range — 33rd through 48th — pays $9 million. Add the $1.5 million preparation contribution, and every qualified team is guaranteed $10.5 million.
For Curaçao, that baseline funding would go to the Curaçao Football Federation (FFK) as the participating member association.
How the payout grows if Curaçao advances
FIFA listed fixed prize-money amounts by final placing for the 2026 tournament. For Curaçao, the total rises with each round (each figure below includes the $1.5 million preparation contribution):
- 33rd–48th: $9M + $1.5M = $10.5M
- 17th–32nd: $11M + $1.5M = $12.5M
- 9th–16th: $15M + $1.5M = $16.5M
- 5th–8th: $19M + $1.5M = $20.5M
- 4th: $27M + $1.5M = $28.5M
- 3rd: $29M + $1.5M = $30.5M
- Runner-up: $33M + $1.5M = $34.5M
- Champion: $50M + $1.5M = $51.5M
Why 2026 is different
The 2026 World Cup will be the first men’s edition with 48 teams, and FIFA’s prize pool reflects that bigger field and higher tournament revenues.
For comparison, FIFA reported that the men’s World Cup in Qatar in 2022 had a total prize money pool of $440 million.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the 2026 World Cup will be “groundbreaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community.”
What the money is — and what it isn’t
FIFA’s announcement frames the payments as distributions to the participating member associations — meaning the funds go to each country’s federation, including the Curaçao Football Federation (FFK).
The FIFA release sets out the preparation payment and the prize ladder, but it does not spell out how a federation must divide the rest internally.