FIFA just approved the largest prize pool in World Cup history, allocating $871M across the 48 teams competing in the 2026 tournament. The champion walks away with $51M. The runner-up gets $34M. And every team that made the cut receives a minimum payout between $9M and $12.5M.
The $871M total represents a massive jump from previous tournaments. FIFA’s Council initially approved a prize fund of $655M back in December 2025, which itself was a 50% increase over the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The additional $216M bump came as FIFA decided to further bolster preparation and performance allocations for participating nations.
The expansion from 32 to 48 teams obviously plays a role here. More teams means more games, more broadcast revenue, and more sponsor exposure.
The tournament is currently ongoing, with the final scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Kalshi, the regulated US prediction market platform, exceeded $31B in trading volume in June 2026. Polymarket, the decentralized platform built on Polygon, hit $10.8B during the same period. Combined, that’s over $50B in a single month, driven largely by World Cup betting contracts.
