It’s not quite as massive a haul as some rumors had suggested it would be, but FIFA finally announced on Wednesday how much money will be at stake in the first-ever expanded Club World Cup that takes place from June 14-July 13.
The total prize pool has been set at $1 billion, with different amounts guaranteed to clubs based on which federation they’re from. The Sounders — as one of five participants from Concacaf — will be guaranteed $9.55 million just for playing in the Group Stage. They’ll be able to claim an additional $1 million for each Group Stage draw and $2 million for each Group Stage win. If they were to advance out of the Group Stage that would guarantee an additional $7.5 million. In the very unlikely scenario that they were to win the entire tournament, they’d claim more than $100 million.
FIFA said the prize money was within the organization’s “budgetary guidelines” and does not force them to dip into reserves.
While nowhere near the $50 million that initial reports had suggested each team would be guaranteed, the figure is much more in line with what Sounders majority owner Adrian Hanauer said he expected to receive when asked about it last year. The $9.55 million is still a significant windfall for the Sounders, whose total revenue last year was estimated at a little more than $80 million.
It was not immediately clear if any of that money can be directly converted into General Allocation Money, but MLS has said the Sounders and Inter Miami each have the option of “pulling forward” up to $1.25 million in GAM from their 2026 and 2027 budgets. The prize money can also potentially be used to fund transfer fees and the Sounders currently have three unused U22 spots on which they could spend virtually unlimited amounts.
Sounders Club World Cup schedule
June 15: vs. Botafogo
June 19: vs. Atletico Madrid
June 23: vs. Paris St. Germain
