World Cup players are scoring goals and making bank. 

The FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11, bringing players from around the world to cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico for the biggest tournament to date—with 104 games set to be played between kickoff and the finals July 19. 

But while the games themselves are enough to get fans shaking in the stands, the players of the 48 competing teams will see a whopping total of $655 million in prize money shelled out over the six rounds, according to FIFA. 

Indeed, the longer a team remains in the competition, the more their payout will be. Teams that are eliminated by the “Group” stage of the tournament will earn $9 million. Those who are knocked out in the following round will receive $11 million. 

Teams that make it up to 9th place will receive $15 million, and the 5th through 8th place teams will earn $19 million. The semi-finals contenders earn a significant bump with each place, with fourth place taking $27 million, third place taking $29 million and the runners-up taking $33 million. 

Naturally, the world cup winners will receive by far the biggest payout, taking home a whopping $50 million. 

In addition to the teams’ winnings, every team that made it to the tournament automatically earn $1.5 million in preparation costs. 

This year’s financial contribution is a record-breaking amount for all teams competing in the World Cup, posting a 50 percent increase from the last cup in 2022. 

Meanwhile, players who participate in the world cup will also be paid by their individual national federations—often referred to as a match fee or an appearance fee—although the amount will vary from team to team. 

Of course, most players are not concerned about the monetary gain of a World Cup win, but rather the honor that comes along with it. 

“We’ve beaten the last champions, it’s a joy I cannot put into words,” Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul told Reuters after they won the World Cup in 2022. “I’m proud of being born in Argentina and today we are on top of the world.”

To learn who is representing Team USA on the world’s biggest stage, keep reading… 

Source: Eonline.com