World football’s governing body will now hand over 15% more than they had originally planned to do after a meeting of the FIFA Council in Vancouver this week and amid pressure from European nations for more money from the huge profits that the World Cup looks likely to make.
The national teams competing in the event in the United States, Mexico, and Canada will see their preparation money rise from $1.5 million to $2.5 million (approximately R42-million).
Qualification compensation goes from $9 million to $10 million (R167-million), meaning a direct income of $12.5 million (R209-million), which is a huge windfall for an organisation that had recently been laying off staff and been pursued by creditors.
FIFA said contributions towards team delegation expenses and increased ticket allotments across the 48 teams would go up more than $16 million (R267-million), ensuring a fatcat summer for SAFA’s executive committee members.
Remaining additional income that FIFA receives will be split among all 211 national federations.
In total, FIFA will increase payments to teams taking part in the 2026 World Cup to $871 million (R14.525-billion).
"FIFA is proud to be in its most solid financial position ever, enabling us to help all our Member Associations in an unprecedented way," its president Gianni Infantino said.
"This is one more example of how FIFA's resources are reinvested back into the game."
The sheer scale of staging a tournament across North America, with long-haul travel, differing tax regimes, and significant operational demands, had prompted unease among some participating nations.
UEFA had passed on concerns from several European associations that teams could find it difficult to break even unless they progress deep into the competition.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first edition of the men's tournament to feature 48 teams, up from 32, and will be staged across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The increased distribution comes as FIFA prepares for the biggest and most commercially lucrative World Cup in history, with more teams, more matches, and expanded revenue opportunities across ticketing, sponsorship, and broadcast rights.