+R100 million World Cup benefit for Bucs and Downs

Domestic champions Orlando Pirates and the new kings of the continent Mamelodi Sundowns will be all smiles in whistling their way to the bank as the 2026 FIFA World Cup bell starts ringing louder.

Pirates and Sundowns have each provided eight players in the final squad traveling to the World Cup.

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This places the two PSL giants in the same bracket as Al Ahly in the top tier bracket of African clubs with the most players at the global showcase.

The two clubs will also have front row seats in getting a share of the FIFA Club Benefits Programme pegged at USD355 million (approx. R5,8 billion) as compensation for clubs that release players to represent their national teams.

According to the FIFA Club Protection Programme, which stipulates compensation conditions for clubs, clubs are eligible for compensation from May 25, so the wheels of money coming in are already rolling.

It is estimated that the Benefits Programme will pay clubs approximately R200 000 per day per day this year.

With Bafana at the World Cup until at least June 25 when they play South Korea, there will be a minimum of R6,4 million per player paid.

That then amounts to R51,2 million for each of Pirates and Sundowns. Combined it becomes R102 million for the two clubs.

Clubs where players had a stint during the qualification phase will also be eligible for compensation provided, they are registered on the FIFA digital platform.

"The compensation mechanism was designed to reward all clubs equally and transparently for the time that their registered players spend at the FIFA World Cup.

"The total amount allocated for the FIFA Club Benefits Programme is divided by the total number of days spent at the tournament by all the players involved.

"This equation produces a 'per player, per day' figure that can be used to calculate the benefits owed."

The FIFA Club Benefits Programme avers that the daily participation figure is then multiplied by the number of days that a player spends at the tournament, which comprises the period from his release for the competition to the date of his national team’s last match.

"Therefore, the further a national team progress at the tournament, the more that team’s players will earn for their respective clubs."

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"All players within a national-team squad are allocated an equal benefit amount, irrespective of their playing time at the competition," reads the FIFA Club Benefits Programme.

Bafana already have USD2,5 million (approx. R41 million) for their preparation purse plus USD10 million (approx. R164 million) for qualification from FIFA.