FIFA will increase payments to teams taking part in the 2026 World Cup to almost $900 million, world soccer’s governing body said on Tuesday, citing the commercial success of its ​expanded flagship men’s tournament.

The FIFA Council, meeting in Vancouver ahead of the ​76th FIFA Congress, approved a 15% increase in the resources to ⁠be distributed to all 48 participating member associations at next year’s tournament in ​Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The total pot will rise to $871 million, FIFA ​said, with each participating team receiving increased preparation money of $2.5 million, up from $1.5 million.

Qualification money will also increase from $9 million to $10 million, while FIFA said additional team contributions would include subsidies ​for team delegation costs and increased team ticketing allocations totalling more than $16 ​million.

“FIFA is proud to be in its most solid financial position ever, enabling us to help ‌all ⁠our Member Associations in an unprecedented way,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.

“This is one more example of how FIFA’s resources are reinvested back into the game.”

The sheer scale of staging a tournament across North America, with long-haul travel, differing tax ​regimes and significant ​operational demands, had ⁠prompted unease among some participating nations.

UEFA had passed on concerns from several European associations that teams could find it difficult ​to break even unless they progress deep into the competition.

The ​2026 World ⁠Cup will be the first edition of the men’s tournament to feature 48 teams, up from 32, and will be staged across the United States, Canada and ⁠Mexico.

The increased ​distribution comes as FIFA prepares for the biggest ​and most commercially lucrative World Cup in history, with more teams, more matches and expanded revenue ​opportunities across ticketing, sponsorship and broadcast rights.

-Reuters

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FIFA has removed World Cup tickets for matches at Toronto’s BMO Field stadium from their official resale marketplace after the Canadian province of Ontario passed ​legislation last week banning the reselling of event tickets above face ‌value.

The bill, called the ‘Putting Fans First Act’, says no person shall make a ticket available for sale on the secondary market or facilitate the sale of a ticket on the secondary ​market for an amount that exceeds the ticket’s face value.

FIFA operates ​the official resale and exchange marketplace for eligible ticket holders, which ⁠it says aims to protect fans and is subject to federal and local ​regulations, and has now acted after Ontario’s 2026 budget bill passed on Thursday.

Tickets are ​currently available on FIFA’s marketplace for all 15 other venues and for every match at the World Cup apart from the six games in Toronto, which include Canada’s opening fixture against ​Bosnia on June 12.

Face-value tickets are currently on sale as part of FIFA’s ​last-minute sales phase, and additional tickets will continue to be released to the public on ‌an ongoing ⁠basis until the World Cup final on July 19, subject to availability.

FIFA’s latest figures show more than five million tickets have already been sold, out of an expected total of just over six million for the tournament, but soccer’s world ​governing body has faced ​criticism over pricing, ⁠not helped by its use of the variable pricing method and the resale market.

Ticket holders can resell on FIFA’s marketplace ​at any price, with one seller asking for almost $11.5 million ​for a ⁠Category 3 ticket for the final.

FIFA has defended its secondary market model, saying it is a not-for-profit organisation and revenue generated is reinvested into the global development of ⁠football.

Tickets ​for the games in Toronto are expected to ​be relisted on FIFA’s marketplace in line with Ontario’s new legislation.

The World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., ​Canada and Mexico, starts on June 11.

-Reuters

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FIFA is considering a significant tweak to its disciplinary rules ahead of this summer’s expanded World Cup, with plans to introduce an additional yellow card amnesty stage.

The proposal, which will be discussed at a FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver on Tuesday, would see players’ yellow cards cleared twice during the tournament — after the group stage and again following the quarter-finals.

Under the current system, players who accumulate two yellow cards at any point up to and including the quarter-finals are suspended for the next match.

However, with the new 48-team format set to debut across the United States, Canada and Mexico, FIFA believes the existing rule could unfairly sideline players during crucial knockout fixtures.

The expanded competition introduces an additional round, increasing the number of matches players must navigate before reaching the latter stages. As a result, the governing body is seeking to reduce the likelihood of key players missing high-stakes games such as semi-finals due to accumulated bookings.

If approved, the change would mark a notable shift in tournament regulations, aimed at preserving competitive balance while adapting to the demands of the larger World Cup format

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