US men’s team forced to share FIFA World Cup revenue with women’s team
US Soccer also separately pays both men’s and women’s players $10,000 per World Cup match regardless of the result.
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US Soccer also separately pays both men’s and women’s players $10,000 per World Cup match regardless of the result.
The US men’s national team’s 2026 World Cup run will result in a $16 million FIFA payout, with the prize money set to be divided between the men’s squad and the future women’s World Cup roster under US Soccer’s equal pay agreement, reports ESPN.
The Americans earned the prize after reaching the round of 16 before falling 4-1 to Belgium. Under the collective bargaining agreements signed by US Soccer and both national teams in 2022, the men’s players will share the money with the 26 women selected for the 2027 Women’s World Cup roster, assuming the team qualifies.
The agreements demand US Soccer to keep 20 percent of World Cup prize money, while the remaining 80 percent is obligatorily split between the men’s and women’s players. That means each team receives $6.4 million, or roughly $246,153.85 per player.
The women’s portion of the payout will be placed into an interest-bearing account until the 2027 World Cup roster is finalized. Any interest earned will also be divided among the 52 players from both teams, according to the agreements.
The same arrangement will apply to any FIFA prize money earned by the US women at the 2027 tournament, though the team must first qualify. The four-time women's Cup champions are expected to qualify but still need to secure their place through CONCACAF qualifying, the org which oversees soccer in the Americas.
The equal split structure was created after years of complaints from the women’s national team to US Soccer over pay differences. The collective bargaining agreements were finalized in 2022 after nearly six years of public battles and legal action.
US Soccer also separately pays both men’s and women’s players $10,000 per World Cup match regardless of the result.
FIFA increased the prize money for the expanded 2026 men’s tournament, which now features 48 teams. Teams finishing between ninth and 16th place receive $16 million, while the winner takes home $51 million.
Had the US defeated Belgium and advanced to the quarterfinals, the team would have earned $20 million, leaving $8 million for each national team under the current agreement.
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