Sweden Poised to Benefit from Record Prize Money at 2026 FIFA World Cup

The Swedish Football Association stands to gain significantly from the unprecedented prize money allocated for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, should the Swedish men's national team qualify. According to the Svenska fotbollförbundet, all 48 participating teams are guaranteed a base amount of 97 million kronor (around 10.5 million dollars), which includes nearly 14 million kronor (1.5 million dollars) dedicated to logistical support. This sum reflects a sharp increase from previous tournaments, with FIFA distributing over 6 billion kronor (655 million dollars) total in prize money for 2026. In contrast, the 2022 World Cup awarded 440 million dollars to 32 teams. The victory prize is especially notable, with the champion team receiving 460 million kronor (50 million dollars).

Sweden's journey to securing these funds remains contingent on their qualification success. Currently, Sweden is set to face Ukraine in a playoff scheduled for March; the winner of this match will then compete against the victor of the Albania-Poland encounter for a World Cup spot.

The scale of the financial rewards is further detailed in a breakdown of prize money: amounts range from 50 million dollars for the winners to 9 million dollars for teams placed between 33rd and 48th positions. These figures underline FIFA's significant increase in funding compared to previous World Cups. This boost in prize money not only benefits the national teams but also enhances the revenues and resources of participating football associations like Sweden's.