The FIFA World Cup is the biggest stage in football, but for many clubs across Africa, it has become a tournament they watch from a distance rather than one they benefit from. While the spotlight shines on national teams and global superstars, the clubs that continue to develop talent at home are often left with little to celebrate.
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FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme
FIFA’s expanded Club Benefits Programme for the 2026 World Cup committed a record USD 355 million to clubs that released players for both the qualifiers and the final tournament. Of that total, USD 100 million was shared among clubs whose players featured in qualification matches, while USD 250 million was distributed to clubs whose players were selected for the finals. The remaining USD 5 million was reserved for global club football development.
The 2026 World Cup prize money breakdown:
| Finish / Category | Prize money (USD) |
| Spain (1st place) | USD 51 million |
| Argentina (2nd place) | USD 34 million |
| England (3rd place) | USD 30 million |
| France (4th place) | USD 28 million |
| Quarter-finalists (each) | USD 20 million |
| Round of 16 teams (each) | USD 16 million |
Source: FIFA / Complex, 20 July 2026
The problem for African domestic clubs
It is a brilliant programme — one that rightly rewards clubs for producing international players. However, it also exposes a major structural challenge, particularly across African football.
Most African national teams rely heavily on players based in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. While these footballers have earned their places on merit, it means the financial rewards attached to the World Cup rarely trickle down to clubs competing in African domestic leagues. That raises an important question: who is rewarding the clubs that continue to invest in grassroots football despite limited resources?
South Africa and Egypt led the way
South Africa offered perhaps the strongest example among African nations at the 2026 World Cup. Bafana Bafana included nineteen players from the Premier Soccer League, with Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates each contributing eight players and standing to receive compensation through FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme.
Egypt also demonstrated confidence in its domestic competition, naming seventeen locally based players. Clubs including Al Ahly, Zamalek, Pyramids FC, ZED FC and Enppi are set to benefit financially as a result.
The contrast elsewhere
Elsewhere, the picture was starkly different. Ghana travelled with just one locally based player — goalkeeper Benjamin Asare of Hearts of Oak, who was exceptional in the matches he played. The rest of the squad was made up almost entirely of players employed abroad.
Morocco, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire did not include a single player from their domestic leagues in their final World Cup squads. Consequently, their local clubs will receive little or no direct benefit from FIFA’s record payout, despite continuing to produce and nurture young talent every season.
Why coaches choose overseas-based players
It is easy to understand why national team coaches favour players based in Europe. Modern training facilities, advanced sports science, superior pitches and a higher level of weekly competition make European-based players natural choices. Players who perform regularly in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A or the Bundesliga arrive with experience gained at the very highest level.
That reality should not be ignored.
The cycle that disadvantages African football
However, it also creates a cycle that continues to disadvantage African football. Local clubs spend years identifying and developing talented youngsters, yet by the time major tournaments arrive, many of those players have either moved abroad or are overlooked entirely. As a result, the financial rewards generated by international football bypass the very clubs that laid the foundation for those careers.
A modest proposal: a domestic quota
This is why FIFA should seriously consider introducing a policy requiring every qualified nation to include at least four players from its domestic league in its World Cup squad, provided those players meet the required competitive standard.
Such a policy would not be about charity or lowering standards. Instead, it would encourage national associations to invest more seriously in their domestic competitions, while creating a stronger pathway between local leagues and national teams. The benefits would extend far beyond the World Cup itself.
Clubs receiving FIFA compensation could improve youth academies, renovate training grounds, purchase better equipment, strengthen medical facilities and pay players more competitive salaries. These investments would help raise the overall standard of domestic football and reduce the gap between African leagues and Europe’s elite competitions.
The case for change
African football has never lacked talent. What it often lacks is opportunity, investment and belief in the quality that exists at home. FIFA has already taken a significant step by expanding the Club Benefits Programme. The next step should be ensuring that clubs in developing football nations are not left watching billions of dollars flow elsewhere simply because their best homegrown players never receive a genuine opportunity on football’s biggest stage.
If the objective is to strengthen football globally, then strengthening domestic leagues must become part of that mission. Ensuring every World Cup squad has meaningful representation from local clubs could be one of the boldest and most impactful reforms FIFA introduces in the years ahead.
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