Cricket vs Football Is No Match! T20 Winners Get ₹22 Cr in Prize Money, FIFA World Cup 2026 Runners-Up Gets ₹275 Cr

The prize money difference between the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the T20 World Cup is just massive. A team that loses in the football World Cup gets almost the same amount as the entire prize pool for the T20 World Cup. This just shows football's financial muscle.

London: Everyone knows the Football World Cup and the Cricket World Cup are huge events. But when you compare their prize money, there's a world of difference. Fans will be shocked to see what the winners of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will get compared to the ICC T20 World Cup.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the biggest sports festival in history. This time, 48 teams will play 104 matches over 39 days across 3 host countries and 16 stadiums. This is the first time since 1998 that the number of teams has been increased. And it's not just the game that's getting bigger. FIFA is also setting a new record with the prize money. They've hiked the prize pool by 50% from the last World Cup. The total prize money is a whopping $655 million, which is about ₹5,469 crore.

FIFA is showering teams with crores

The FIFA Council has announced a total financial package of $727 million for the teams participating in the 2026 World Cup. Out of this, $655 million will be distributed as prize money among the 48 teams. The team that wins the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take home a massive $50 million, which is around ₹417.5 crore.

The runner-up will get $33 million, or about ₹275.5 crore. That's not all. Every team that qualifies gets $1.5 million from FIFA just for preparations. This means even teams that get knocked out in the first round (placing 33rd to 48th) are guaranteed to get at least $10.5 million, which is about ₹87 crore.

So, what do cricket champions get?

But when you compare this to the T20 World Cup, one of cricket's biggest tournaments, the difference is huge. The total prize money for the 2026 T20 World Cup is just $11.25 million, or about ₹94 crore. Think about it: the money one losing team gets in the first round of the Football World Cup ($10.5 million) is almost equal to the entire prize pool of the T20 World Cup!

For instance, the Indian team that won the recent T20 World Cup crown received only $2.63 million, which is about ₹22 crore. The runner-up, New Zealand, got $1.42 million, or around ₹11.8 crore. These numbers from FIFA clearly show that on a global scale, football's popularity, financial value, and reach are way, way bigger than cricket's.