Uzbekistan’s potential World Cup revenue: Breaking down the numbers

Next summer, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The total prize pool for national teams participating in the tournament will amount to $896 million — a record-breaking figure in the history of the competition. So, how much can the Uzbekistan national team potentially earn by qualifying for the World Cup?

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If all goes as planned, Uzbek football fans will witness a historic moment next summer: the national team making its debut at the World Cup. Kun.uz takes a closer look at the financial implications of this debut and explores how much revenue participation in football’s most prestigious tournament could bring to Uzbekistan.

How much was paid out at the last World Cup?

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the total prize money distributed among national teams was $440 million — the highest amount recorded up to that point. Each team received the following sums based on their performance:

• Teams eliminated in the group stage – $9 million
• Round of 16 participants – $13 million
• Quarter-finalists – $17 million
• 4th place (Morocco) – $25 million
• 3rd place (Croatia) – $27 million
• Runner-up (France) – $30 million
• World Champion (Argentina) – $42 million

In addition, every national team received $1.5 million to cover preparation costs.

FIFA also compensates clubs for releasing their players to national teams during the World Cup. For Qatar 2022, a total of $209 million was allocated and distributed to over 400 clubs. Each club received approximately $10,000 per day per player. These payments are split among all clubs a player has been registered with over the past two years — not just their current team.

A new record in 2026

The upcoming World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will mark a historic expansion: for the first time, 48 teams (up from 32) will take part. Teams will be divided into 12 groups of 4. The top two from each group, along with the 8 best third-placed teams, will advance to the next round. Consequently, the total number of matches will increase from 64 to 104.

The total prize pool for the 2026 tournament is set at $896 million — double that of the Qatar World Cup. However, how this amount will be distributed among teams is yet to be officially announced. According to unconfirmed reports, teams eliminated in the group stage could receive $13 million, while those exiting in the round of 16 may get around $17 million.

What are Uzbekistan’s chances?

Before the draw, all national teams are placed into four pots based on their FIFA rankings. Currently, Uzbekistan is ranked 55th in the world, meaning the team will likely be placed in Pot 3 or 4. According to tournament regulations, no two Asian teams can be placed in the same group. This means that Uzbekistan’s group will certainly include at least one European team. There's also a 75% chance of facing an African team. The third opponent is likely to be from New Zealand, South America, or North America.

Because group assignments are tied to FIFA rankings, it would be beneficial for Uzbekistan to continue winning friendly matches during the preparation phase. The recent win over Qatar could be particularly important in boosting the team’s ranking.

Overall, the Uzbekistan Football Association can expect to earn at least around $10 million from participating in the World Cup. This figure would increase significantly if the team advances to the knockout stages. Additionally, $1.5 million will be allocated to cover preparation costs.

Local football clubs are also set to benefit. For example, four players from Pakhtakor were called up for the final stages of the qualifiers. If no major changes are made to the roster, FIFA could transfer several hundred thousand dollars to the club as compensation.

For reference, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off on June 11 and conclude on July 19 across stadiums in North America.