FIFA Plans to Give More Money to Clubs for Releasing Players for FIFA World Cup and Qualifiers

The global football landscape has rapidly evolved in the last few decades. Gone are those days when players were bound to put country over club. In the modern footballing ecosystem, clubs owned by multi-billion-dollar franchises hold significant control and authority over players' participation. To incentivise the clubs, FIFA has decided to increase the Club Benefit Programme (CBP) to 355 million dollars for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This is a 70% massive increase from the funds allocated for the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Citing fixture congestion, player welfare issues, and injury risks, clubs have withheld players previously from donning the national team jerseys.

Did any club prevent players from international duty?

Yes, there have been many such high-profile instances. Back in 2012, Real Sociedad's Carlos Vela was alleged to refuse national team callups to the Mexican national team back in the 2012 Olympics to focus on his club career. In March 2024, Gibraltar's domestic clubs refused to send players for the national team after the league was paused prematurely. Other players like Chelsea's Claude Makelele, Jan van Beveren, Fernando Redondo, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have faced such issues previously as well, and the dilemma to choose between the club and country has been a difficult one. Looking at the financial rewards, it is economically feasible for players to continue playing for the club for a long contract rather than donning national team jerseys occasionally.

Why is player participation in FIFA tournaments necessary?

At a time when club competitions are gaining popularity due to increased frequency and being held annually, it is important for FIFA to ensure that international tournaments like the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Nations League, UEFA Euros, Copa America, AFCON, and Asian Cup also get the same craze and attention. To ensure competitiveness and inclusiveness, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will see a total of 48 teams taking part from the length and breadth of this planet.

As the countdown has begun for the planet's ultimate tournament, all eyes will be on some of the biggest international icons. A lot of unanswered questions will be answered. Will Ronaldo end the GOAT debate by winning the World Cup for Portugal and retiring like a legend? Will Thomas Tuchel and Harry Kane end England's final curse, or will it be the golden generation of Spain win back-to-back silverware?