As announced on 27 October 2017, the FIFA Council confirmed contributions for all FIFA World Cup™ participants and in that regard the FIFA Club Benefits Programme is an integral component.
What is the Club Benefits Programme? The programme is a fund that was designed to recognise the contribution that football clubs make in the successful staging of the FIFA World Cup™. A share of the benefits from hosting the tournament is distributed through the Member Associations to clubs releasing players for the FIFA World Cup.
When was the programme established? The programme was established ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ with a provision made in the institutional agreement signed between FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA), who act on behalf of all clubs globally in relation to the programme.
How much is set aside for the programme? The share of the benefits of the 2014 FIFA World Cup was USD 70 million, which increased from USD 40 million allocated for the 2010 World Cup. This amount has risen once again for the 2018 World Cup, to USD 209 million, and is managed by the FIFA Professional Football Department.
How does a club participate in the programme? To participate, a club completes the Club Application Form, which serves as the basis of its participation in the programme. Upon completion of the Form, the club confirms its wish to receive payments for its contribution to the successful staging of the World Cup in accordance with various terms set out in the form.
How is each club's share calculated? The calculations are based on a model that takes into consideration the number of players from the club who are selected for a representative team squad at the World Cup and the number of days each player is at the final tournament, starting two weeks before the Opening Match until the day after the player's team is eliminated. A share is then passed on to the club (s) with which the player was registered in the two years prior to one day after his representative national team's elimination from the tournament.
Who distributes the payments to the clubs? Any payments the club is entitled to receive under the programme will be distributed via the Member Association to which the club is affiliated after the successful staging of the World Cup.
Does it matter if a player actually plays in a match? No. It is not relevant whether or not the player actually played in any given match.
Calculation of payments and allocations:
- Total number of players at the World Cup: 736 (32 teams x 23 players on each team)
- Total approximate number of days cumulatively of participation: 24,500
- Distribution amount (USD 209 million gross) is divided by the total number of days (approximately 24,500), which results in an amount per player per day of around USD 8,530 (subject to any taxes and deductions)
- The amount of around USD 8,530 is multiplied by the number of days each player is at the World Cup, starting two weeks before the Opening Match until the day following the last match of his team (total per player). The total per player is then distributed to the club (s) with which the player was registered during the previous two years.
What if there is any doubt on the above calculation? In the event of doubt or ambiguity regarding the above calculation, delays in filings and any unusual, specific or special cases, FIFA decides on the payment and allocation on a case-by-case basis and its decision is final.
How are the amounts distributed fairly to the clubs? In order to establish a scheme that does not favour a particular continental transfer period, FIFA drew up the following table to determine a list of the clubs with which the representative teams’ players were registered throughout the given two-year period:
July until September 2016 October until December 2016 January until March 2017 April until June 2017
1/3 of Total per player
July until September 2017 October until December 2017 January until March 2018 April until May 2018
1/3 of Total per player
June until July 2018
1/3 of Total per player