FIFA World Cup 2014 prize money increased to $576m

The 32 teams for this year’s World Cup finals will share a total fund of $576 million, including a prize-money pot of $358m with the winners taking home $35m, according to FIFA.

The amount of money made available to the countries taking part has increased by 37 per cent from the $420m on offer at the 2010 finals in South Africa. The winners’ prize money has gone up $5m.

The runners-up in Brazil will pocket $25m, while the third-placed team will take home $22m and the fourth-placed team $20m. The four teams eliminated in the quarter-finals will leave with $14m; teams in the last 16 will receive $9m; and those eliminated in the first round will get $8m.

In addition, each of the 32 finalists will receive $1.5m for their “preparation costs”, up by $500,000 on 2010.

“There will also be awards of $70m for the clubs whose players are taking part in the World Cup and, in addition to that, $20m will be given as a legacy to Brazilian football,” FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke.

“We will not wait for the start of the World Cup for that, those payments will start immediately and will rise to $100m in the future.”

Valcke also confirmed that the legacy money would be ploughed into grassroots football in Brazil as well as education and health projects linked to football in the country.

The grand total of $576m includes a figure of $100m available as insurance for players injured while playing for their national teams, known as the club protection programme. FIFA calls this the protection program.