Zambian clubs will receive a share of FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme (CBP) for releasing players in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
For the first time in history, FIFA will directly compensate clubs that release players for the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, under an enhanced CBP, the governing body has announced.
In a statement issued to BolaNews on Tuesday, FIFA said a total of USD 355 million has been allocated for global club football, representing a nearly 70 percent increase compared to the USD 209 million distributed during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The CBP forms part of the renewed memorandum of understanding signed between FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA) in March 2023. Under the new arrangement, clubs will receive payments whether their players feature in the qualifiers or the final tournament itself, ensuring a broader and more inclusive redistribution of funds.
FIFA president and ECA chairman react
FIFA President Gianni Infantino welcomed the development, saying: “The enhanced edition of the FIFA Club Benefits Programme for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is going a step further by recognising financially the huge contribution that so many clubs and their players around the world make to the staging of both the qualifiers and the final tournament. A record USD 355 million will be distributed to clubs for the release of their players, and this reinforces our solid collaboration with the European Club Association and clubs worldwide as we all look forward to a groundbreaking and globally inclusive edition of the FIFA World Cup next year.”
ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi also praised the agreement, adding: “At ECA we are pleased to have collaborated with FIFA to support the development of this innovative new FIFA Club Benefits Programme. It will ensure even more clubs across the world are rewarded for releasing players and highlights exactly how ECA’s Memorandum of Understanding with FIFA supports the ongoing growth of the global club game.”
The initiative marks a significant shift in recognising the role of clubs in nurturing and releasing players for international duty. FIFA has confirmed that detailed guidelines on the CBP distribution model and the application process for clubs will be announced in due course.
In the previous edition of the programme during the 2022 World Cup, 440 clubs from 51 member associations across all six confederations shared USD 209 million.
The 2026 edition, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is expected to be the most financially rewarding for clubs worldwide.
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