The U.S. men's national team has secured a $16 million payout from FIFA after its round‑of‑16 finish in the 2026 World Cup, a sum that will be divided equally with the women's national team under the country's new equal‑pay arrangement.
The payout follows a 4‑1 loss to Belgium in Seattle, a result that ended the Americans' campaign but still qualified them for the prize money that the governing body distributes to round‑of‑16 participants.
Under the collective bargaining agreements signed by U.S. Soccer, 80 percent of that prize pool is allocated to the two player pools, meaning each squad will receive roughly $6.4 million, or about $246,000 per athlete when spread across a 26‑player roster.
Shared Success, Shared Money
The women's portion will not be disbursed immediately; it will sit in an interest‑bearing account until the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil, where any earnings can be funneled back to the men under the same sharing formula.
The deal reflects a decade‑long push by the USWNT, including a 2019 gender‑discrimination lawsuit and a 2022 settlement that paved the way for pooled prize money, a structure designed to bridge the historic gap between FIFA's men's and women's payouts.
In contrast to the $13 million the men earned four years ago and the $1.87 million the women received in 2023, the new model aims to create parity, even though the men's tournament still offers larger absolute sums.
The agreement also means that interest accrued on the women's share will be split between the pools, further incentivizing both teams to view prize money as a joint asset rather than a competition.
Looking ahead, the USWNT will have the chance to return the favor in 2027, with any prize money earned in Brazil to be divided with the men, completing a cycle of shared reward that could reshape how U.S. soccer finances its programs. Players such as Chris Richards and Tim Ream will be among those who share in the new financial landscape.