Argentina’s forward #10 Lionel Messi looks at the trophy after losing the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
Spain’s victory over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final not only secured football’s biggest prize but also earned the country’s football federation a record-breaking financial reward.
FIFA has confirmed that the champions will receive $51 million in prize money, while runners-up Argentina will take home $34 million, as part of the governing body’s record $871 million prize fund for the expanded 48-team tournament.
The 2026 edition, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, features the largest prize pool in World Cup history after FIFA increased the total payout earlier this year by more than $100 million.
The additional funding came after several European football federations sought financial support to offset the higher travel and accommodation costs associated with hosting the tournament across three countries.
