Man Utd to make millions from FIFA player payments during World Cup
Premier League clubs will make $10,000 (£9,033) per player per day during the World Cup – with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United set to make several million should their stars go far in Qatar.
The payments are part of FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme, which the governing body says is to recognise the contribution of clubs towards the tournament. In total $209m (£188.8m) has been dedicated towards the programme, which benefited more than 400 clubs across 63 nations at the previous World Cup.
FIFA said that compensation will be paid to all clubs for which a player has played in the two years prior to the World Cup – meaning that Gabriel Jesus’ participation for Brazil – should he make the squad – would benefit Arsenal and Manchester City. FIFA’s total fund for the World Cup is worth about $700m (£632.3m) and the federation of the eventual winners will earn $50m (£45m).
All 32 nations will get $10m from FIFA for participating in the group stage having received $2m to pay for pre-tournament camps and other preparation.
Thirty eight English clubs earned a total of $37,406,940 from players participating in Russia four years ago, with Manchester City banking $5,003,440 and neighbours United making $3,656,360.
Arsenal made $2,218,720 in 2018, Chelsea earned $3,835,357.50, Liverpool received $2,585,205 and Tottenham Hotspur got $4,385,792.50.
Separately players will have negotiated their own bonus systems with federations. If England had gone on to win the 2018 World Cup, Gareth Southgate’s players would have evenly split a £5m pot.
The Three Lions begin their campaign against Iran on November 21 before also facing Wales and the United States in Group B.
Southgate already has a number of injury concerns following last week’s news that Kyle Walker has had groin surgery and his City team-mate Kalvin Phillips remains sidelined following a shoulder injury. England’s 26-man squad will be named on November 10