Why is Fifa giving clubs $355m during the World Cup?

[BBC] Fifa has pledged to pay clubs $355m for releasing their players to participate in the 2026 World Cup, as well as those who released players to take part in qualifying matches. Clubs who have players competing at this summer's tournament across the United States, Mexico and Canada have the potential to earn millions during the tournament as a result. That is because of the Fifa Club Benefit Programme, designed to compensate clubs whose players are away with their national teams during the tournament. For the first time ever, this year it will also compensate clubs for allowing players to attend qualifying round matches. Payments have been given to clubs releasing players since the 2010 tournament. The 2022 World Cup paid out $209m between 440 clubs from 51 different nations. Payments are made on a per player, per day basis. Essentially, the more players that a club has at a tournament and the longer they are there, the more money they receive. Of the $355m, $250m is dedicated to the tournament itself. Another $100m is for the qualifying round matches, while the remaining $5m will be allocated to the benefit of club football based on an agreement between Fifa and European Football Clubs (EFC) after the deduction of administrative costs related to the implementation of the programme. From the day of release to attend the tournament, players earn clubs a fee of $5,000 (£3,730) per day until the day after their team's final match of the tournament. For the qualifying round matches, players earned their club $2,362 (£1,765) for every qualifying match that they were in a matchday squad for. The mid-tournament day rate has reduced by more than half of the day rate at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, this year's tournament is significantly longer, and features 16 more teams. Fifa also previously did not pay clubs for releasing players in qualifying matches. For the 2022 World Cup, a total of $209m (£155.6m) was given to clubs by Fifa. This worked out at a rate of $10,950 (£8,150) per player per day. The programme first launched ahead of the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa following an agreement between Fifa and the European Club Association. The shortest amount of time a team can be in the tournament is 14 days. That marks the time from start of the tournament to the end of the group stage for Group A nations. As players earn the amount for every day they are away, with Fifa's mandatory date for clubs to release players being 25 May, plus the day after their nation's final match, the minimum for the tournament a player can earn for their club is $160,000 (£119,500). Should a team reach the final, that would consist of 57 days participation, including the day after the tournament. For those players, that would mean a payment of $285,000 (£212,900). How does it work in the event of mid-season transfers and expiring contracts? All players in the 2026 World Cup and its qualifying matches will earn revenue for its clubs [Getty Images] Because the World Cup takes place during the summer where players either move clubs in the transfer window, or see their contracts expire during the tournament, there are a few scenarios where payments are spread between clubs or not given at all. If a player's contract expires at a club and they are to become a free agent, their club will only be paid until 30 June, a date where many players in European football see their contracts run out. In the situation where a player moves clubs after the expiry of their contract to the start of a new one elsewhere, such as Andy Robertson leaving Liverpool to join Tottenham, the payment is split. In this scenario, Liverpool will receive payments until 30 June and Tottenham will take on any payments from 1 July onward. If a player moves club as the result of a transfer without an expiring contract (both permanent or loan), the club they originally played for will be paid until the transfer is processed. From then on, the player's new club will receive the payments. Players are not eligible to earn payments for their clubs on dates they are a free agent either during the World Cup or qualifying round matches. This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. More questions answered... Why has Iraola only signed a two-year contract at Liverpool? Who are the World Cup's record holders? How many World Cup shirts might not be worn in matches? Which clubs have the most players at the 2026 World Cup?