Chelsea and Manchester City are in line for a slice of a whopping $1billion prize fund as they gear up for this summer's Club World Cup.
FIFA, the organisers, have revealed details of the largest ever prize pot in club football for the newly-expanded 32-team tournament. In addition to the $1bn (£776.8million) set aside for participating teams, it is understood that an extra $100m (£77.6million) will be reserved for solidarity payments to clubs who haven't qualified.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: "The FIFA Club World Cup will not only be the pinnacle of club football, but also a vivid demonstration of solidarity that will benefit clubs at large to a scale that no other competition has ever done," He added: "All revenue generated by the tournament will be distributed to the participating clubs and via club solidarity across the world as FIFA will not keep a single dollar. FIFA's reserves, which are there for global football development, will remain untouched."
The revamped Club World Cup is set to kick off in the United States from June 14, running until July 13. Chelsea and City have earned their spots due to their Champions League triumphs in 2023 and 2021 respectively. Other notable European teams to feature include Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint Germain, Inter Milan, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.
It remains unclear how much each club will receive for their participation, but it's expected to be a significant windfall.
Enzo Maresca has been handed several Chelsea injury boosts before Copenhagen
Enzo Maresca is in line for a significant financial boost from the Club World Cup (Image: (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images))
The tournament is hoped to bring in a minimum of £40m, potentially doubling if the tournament is won. This financial assurance comes after a broadcasting deal was struck with streaming platform DAZN last year.
The addition of the tournament to the calendar has sparked controversy, especially among European circles, due to concerns about player workload in an already packed schedule. The finalists will have to play seven matches.
The event has not been warmly received in Europe as it is perceived to lack the intensity of the Champions League. However, City manager Pep Guardiola has been noticeably promoting it recently.
He even suggested that he might prioritise it over the start of the 2025-26 Premier League season, which kicks off on the weekend of August 16-17.
City's request to postpone their opening league fixture to allow players a longer summer break after the Club World Cup was denied. When asked last month if he might rest his players for the tournament, Guardiola said: "No, I don't think so. It is important for the club, financially and for the prestige. After we'll see if I give extra time to arrive late - maybe for the first games of the Premier League (some will) arrive a little bit later. We will see how the people arrive and how many minutes some players play."