VANCOUVER, British Columbia – FIFA announced Tuesday that it will award $871 million in total prize money for this summer’s World Cup in North America, a further 15% increase from the previously announced figures.
The new funds include an additional $1 million each for both preparation funds and in qualification money, as well as $16 million-plus in subsidies in team delegation costs and increased team ticketing allocations. The decision was made by the FIFA Council, which met in the Canadian city two days before the annual FIFA Congress officially takes place.
World soccer’s governing body had previously announced a prize pot of $727 million for the 2026 World Cup, which was already the highest figure FIFA has ever handed out to participating teams in the competition. They handed out $440 million for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but the fact that the tournament was expanded from 32 teams to 48 teams was likely to result in an increased prize pot for this summer’s competition.
Refereeing updates for World Cup
The prize money was not the only major development related to this summer’s World Cup to come out of Tuesday’s meetings. The FIFA Council confirmed an amendment to the tournament’s rulebook that would allow for yellow cards to be wiped after the group stage and after the quarterfinals, reducing players’ chances of being suspended for crucial knockout matches if they have just one booking on their record.
There were two more updates to the laws of the game made earlier in the day at a special meeting of the IFAB, which oversees officials across the sport. Referees now have the ability to show red cards to players who cover their mouths in a confrontational situation involving an opponent, while the same is true for players or team officials who leave the pitch in protest of a refereeing decision.
The changes will be in place for the World Cup but have also been added to the sport’s rulebook, updates that were prompted by recent incidents that marred different matches. The decision focused on players covering their mouths comes two months after Real Madrid’s clash at Benfica was delayed because Gianluca Prestianni directed a discriminatory remark at Vinicius Junior, later resulting in Prestianni receiving a six match ban by UEFA. The IFAB’s new rule on walk-offs, meanwhile, is being introduced three months after the Africa Cup of Nations final descended into chaos as Senegal’s team walked off the pitch following the referee’s decision to award Morocco a penalty. Though Senegal went on to win on the day and lift the trophy, CAF’s appeal board went on to declare that Senegal actually forfeited the match and declared Morocco the winners. Senegal’s federation is currently appealing the decision.
Afghanistan women’s team to return to competitive play
FIFA cleared the way for the Afghanistan women’s national team to take part in official competitions, doing so years after players began a public plea to participate following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Several members of the team have been in exile since U.S. troops pulled out of Afghanistan nearly five years ago, the players chiefly resigned to playing for a version of the national team that currently competes in Australia’s lower leagues or in friendlies under a FIFA-sanctioned team called Afghan Women United. They previously played in FIFA Unites: Women’s Series, a set of friendly matches in 2025 that saw Afghan players take on Chad, Tunisia and Libya but have now officially been sanctioned to play in competitive matches.
“For these players, representing Afghanistan is about identity, dignity and hope,” Khalida Popal, Afghanistan’s former captain and the face of the team’s return to play mission, said in a statement. “Thanks are due to the leadership of FIFA, which listened to their biggest request and delivered a solution that no other sport has ever achieved. This moment also shows that when we stand united, we can achieve more.”
The FIFA Council’s decision on Tuesday to approve an amendment to the governance rules officially gave the team the green light to resume play in official competition, eliminating the hurdle that had prevented their full return to the pitch. FIFA now has the ability to sanction a national team in special circumstances when a national federation is unable to do so; previously, federations were the only body able to approve and register a national team.
Afghanistan are unable to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil since Asia’s qualification tournament is complete, while the same is true for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Their first shot at qualification for a major tournament will be with the 2029 Women’s Asian Cup in Uzbekistan, with qualification slated to begin in 2028.
The Afghanistan women’s national team has never played at a major continental or international competition, nor have they ever taken part in qualification for such a tournament.
