Europe's top-flight clubs set to share half of Club World Cup fund
Fifa and European Football Clubs are close to a 50-50 split of the $250m solidarity pot, with $125m going to top-flight clubs that missed the tournament.
European top-flight clubs are close to agreeing a 50-50 split with the rest of the world for half of the $250m (£185m) solidarity pot from last year's Club World Cup.
EFC had asked for just over 60% for its members and gave ground after Fifa pressed for a more even global distribution. The European half, $125m, would go to all top-division clubs that did not play in the US-staged tournament, with sums depending on how many seasons each spent in that division between 2021 and 2024. A further amount is earmarked for the best performers in Uefa club competitions over the same period, again excluding Club World Cup participants. Liverpool, the 2022 Champions League runners-up, would be at the higher end.
The money has been slow to arrive. Chelsea, who won the tournament, have long since received their £84m share of the £740m prize fund, while clubs from smaller leagues, for whom the payments can be a lifeline, have waited. EFC's position on the delay was set out in a statement to The Guardian.
EFC holds its general assembly in Copenhagen on Tuesday. The deal is expected to be confirmed once the Fifa council, meeting in Zurich on 15 October, has approved it.
If it goes through, the gap between what a Liverpool and a mid-table club from a smaller league receive could be wide, and the argument over how the pot is divided may move from Europe versus the rest to club versus club within EFC.
About this article
Prepared by the editorial team with the help of algorithms, based on the sources listed