United States Men’s National Team players earned $16 million for reaching the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. File Photo by Christian Brunskill/UPI | License Photo
U.S. women players will receive about $246,000 apiece from the men’s run at the 2026 World Cup if they qualify for the 2027 tournament.
The allotment was decided upon through the 2022 collective bargaining agreement between the United States Soccer Federation and the United States Women’s National Team Players Association.
Under the terms of that pact, prize money from World Cups will be pooled and split evenly between the 26 players from the respective men’s and women’s teams.
The American men earned $16 million for reaching the Round of 16, where they lost Monday to Belgium. The federation keeps 20% of those funds, while the remaining 80% — or $12.8 million — is split between men’s and women’s players — if the women qualify for the 2027 World Cup.
Upon qualification, each player is due about $246,153, which they will receive after the World Cup cycle.
Had the men won Monday and advanced to the quarterfinals, players from each team would have received about $307,692.
A third- or fourth-place finish would have triggered a reward of $430,769 or $461,538. Runner-up and title-winning per-player prizes would have been $523,076 and $784,615, respectively.
The 26 players for the women’s World Cup roster will not be announced until spring. Money earmarked for those women will be placed in an interest-bearing account until the team qualifies and the roster is confirmed for the 2027 World Cup.
That interest, and money earned from the women’s team at the World Cup, also will be split between the 52 players.
U.S. Soccer also pays men’s and women’s players $10,000 per World Cup match. The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will start June 24 in Brazil. The Americans are second in the women’s world rankings, behind defending champion Spain.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino previously said he wanted an equal prize money pool at the 2027 World Cup. If that happens — and the Americans advance deep in the knockout stage — the men’s team also could eye a lucrative payday.
Fans go all out in support at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Fans celebrate the first United States goal as the United States faces Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the FIFA Fan Zone area located on the National Mall in Washington on July 6, 2026. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
