Germany gets the Lion’s share

FIFA World Cup 2014 has proved to be Bonanza for FIFA as well as the teams and players. The most valuable and expensive World Cup has earned billions of dollars for FIFA, millions for the competing countries and thousands for the more than 700 players selected.

From its near $4.5 billion in revenue from broadcasters, sponsors, hospitality and licensing deals, FIFA distributes just over $400 million to the 32 national federations taking part in the tournament.

Here is how the money breaks down:

Champions Germany have got $35 million in prize money paid to its national federation. That’s $5 million more than the $30 million Spain took home from South Africa four years ago. 

The runner up – Argentina – got $25 million (up from $24 million in 2010), while the third- and fourth-place teams got $22 million and $20 million, respectively. 

FIFA lets national federations choose how to reward the 23 players on their squads. The German federation last year promised all 23 players a 300,000-euro ($408,000) bonus for winning a fourth World Cup title. 

That is the equivalent of a few weeks’ basic wage for the German players who are employed by wealthy European clubs like Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. 

Prize money for the other 28 federations who are eliminated before the semi-finals stayed at the same level as in 2010. Quarterfinalists got $14 million, round of 16 losers got $9 million and those which failed to advance from the group got $8 million. 

In addition, FIFA had paid $1.5 million in advance to each of the 32 federations to prepare for the tournament – an increase of $500,000 from the 2010 tournament. That helped teams pay for training camps before arriving in Brazil and settle some player bonus issues which have traditionally dogged World Cup teams, especially from Africa. 

Clubs who released the 736 players taking part in the World Cup will also get their share of FIFA’s revenues. FIFA has set aside $70 million to distribute at a rate of $2,800 per player per day that each was on World Cup duty. The money is shared between each player’s current club and any other he played for in the two previous years during qualification matches.