Chelsea could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the 2026 World Cup in North America due to a new FIFA-backed programme.
The Blues have a total of 11 players competing at this summer's tournament, including Enzo Fernandez, who will play a major role in Argentina defending their crown.
Moises Caicedo and Kendry Paez will both feature heavily for Ecuador while Senegal's final squad has seen Nicolas Jackson and Mamadou Sarr called up. There will also be key appearances for Reece James after the right-back was included in Thomas Tuchel's England squad.
Marc Cucurella (Spain), Jorrel Hato (Netherlands), Mike Penders (Belgium), Pedro Neto (Portugal) and Malo Gusto (France) have also travelled with their countries to North America.
And Chelsea will be keeping a close eye on how each of them do.
Chelsea set for financial windfall thanks to new FIFA programme
FIFA’s new Club Benefits Programme means clubs will be financially rewarded when their players appear at the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA has created a fund worth more than £185 million to distribute to clubs based on:
- How many players they have at the tournament, and,
- How long those players remain there for
The payment works out at roughly £3,700 per player, per day from the start of the tournament until their elimination or the final.
That means several clubs, including Chelsea, could receive significant sums if their players go deep into the tournament.
Which Chelsea players could earn the club the most money
Spain, France, England and Portugal are the four favourites to win this year's World Cup, which means there is a very good chance at least one of Chelsea's players could go the distance.
No. of Players in World Cup Final | Approx. Payment |
|---|---|
1 | £210,000 |
3 | £630,000 |
5 | £1.05 million |
Of course, seeing one of their own lift the prestigious World Cup trophy would come with significant financial reward, but the real value will be in as many players remaining in the tournament for as long as possible.
The fact Chelsea will have 11 players in action means they could bank somewhere between £2-3 million — a potentially important boost following the side's failure to qualify for next season's Champions League.
The tournament kicks off in Mexico City on June 11 with hosts Mexico playing South Africa. The first Chelsea player in action is likely to be Hato when the Netherlands play Japan in Group F's opener on June 14.
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