Fifa and European Clubs Agreed on Solidarity Fund Split
The organizations have settled on an even division of a $250 million pot for teams not in the 2025 Club World Cup.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Soccer
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Fifa and European Football Clubs have reached an agreement to split a $250 million solidarity fund equally between European teams and those from the rest of the world. The deal targets top-division European clubs that did not compete in the 2025 Club World Cup.
Why it matters
The fund was established to ensure that the tournament contributes to the health of the global football ecosystem. By supporting clubs that missed out on the competition, the agreement aims to distribute revenue across a wider range of organizations.
The solidarity pot totals $250 million, or £185 million, with a 50-50 split agreed upon after European clubs initially sought a 60% share. This follows a tournament where Chelsea secured £84 million in prize money from a total pool of £740 million.
The players
Fifa
Fifa is the international governing body for association football responsible for organizing major global tournaments.
European Football Clubs
European Football Clubs is an organization that represents the interests of professional football teams across Europe.
Chelsea
Chelsea is a prominent professional football club based in London that competed in the 2025 Club World Cup.
The details
Payments are calculated based on a club's participation in top-division play and performance in Uefa club competitions between 2021 and 2024. The agreement is currently pending confirmation from the Fifa council following negotiations over the initial European proposal for a larger portion of the funds.
Timeline
Payments are based on club participation and performance from 2021 to 2024.
The 2025 Club World Cup took place in the United States.
The EFC held a general assembly in Copenhagen on September 30, 2026.
The Fifa council is scheduled to meet in Zurich on October 15, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The distribution plan follows the 2025 Club World Cup and marks a significant shift in how Fifa manages tournament revenue sharing. This agreement sets a new precedent for balancing the financial gains of top-tier participants against the needs of the broader competitive landscape.
The agreement guarantees that $125 million will be injected into various European clubs based on their 2021-2024 records. Fans can expect these payments to bolster the financial stability and potential transfer budgets of teams that were excluded from the recent tournament.
The takeaway
This agreement represents a compromise designed to maintain competitive balance among European teams while acknowledging the scale of global football revenues. Clubs should evaluate their historical performance data from 2021 to 2024 to anticipate their share of the new solidarity payouts.
What happens next
The deal is expected to be formally confirmed during the upcoming Fifa council meeting scheduled for October 15, 2026, in Zurich.
Further reading
For more on the evolving financial landscape of international professional leagues, visit the Soccer section.
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