By Lori Ewing
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -The winners of this year’s 32-team Club World Cup to be held in the U.S. will earn up to $125 million, FIFA said on Wednesday.
World soccer’s governing body had announced earlier this month a total prize pot of $1 billion for the June 14-July 13 event, significant in the current climate of financial regulation for clubs.
“FIFA will neither retain any funding for this tournament, as all revenues will be distributed to club football, nor will it touch FIFA’s reserves, which are set aside for global football development through the 211 FIFA Member Associations,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
About half of the $1 billion total will be divided between all 32 clubs, with the amount per club based on sporting and commercial criteria, meaning clubs such as Manchester City and Real Madrid will receive a greater percentage than smaller clubs in a model FIFA developed with the European Club Association.
A further $475 million will be awarded on a performance-related basis, meaning the team with the most wins over a potential seven matches will bank more cash, with a maximum pot of $125 million available.
Numerous players and coaches, including England captain Harry Kane, have voiced concern over player welfare with the revamped Club World Cup meaning less time off between seasons.
“Of course it’s another summer where you don’t really have a break,” Kane said this week. “I think we’re getting used to it. There’s nothing really we can do about it.”
The Bayern Munich striker said he had high hopes for the event, however, telling FIFA.com that his goal was: “To win it. We’re one of the best teams in the world, without a doubt, so every tournament we go into, the idea is to win.”
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Ed Osmond and Ken Ferris)
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