FIFA has increased payments to teams competing in the 2026 World Cup, raising the total distribution to $871 million, making it the most lucrative edition on record.

The 2026 edition of the World Cup is set to be the largest-ever, expanding to 48 teams, up from 32 in 2022.

According to CNBC, the increased financial distributions, announced last Wednesday at the 36th FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver, Canada, come as the governing body faces criticism over ticket pricing and its commercial partnerships.

Under the new financial distribution structure, participating associations at the 2026 World Cup — set to be held across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada from 11 June — will each receive an additional $2 million, across:

Preparation money: $2.5 million, up from $1.5 million at the 2022 World Cup, and Qualification money: $10 million, up from $9 million in 2022.

That brings the minimum payout for each team to at least $12.5 million upon qualification, with additional prize money tied to performance in the tournament.

These payments are meant to defray some of the costs associated with qualifying and preparing for the quadrennial sporting tournament, including travel, training facilities and staff remuneration and are expected to be particularly meaningful to teams outside of the sport’s traditional powerhouses, according to Ricardo Fort, founder of sport consultancy Fort Consulting.

“This incremental contribution to the national football associations reinforces FIFA’s role in redistributing the commercial success of the tournament back into the global football ecosystem,” Fort said.

Former Super Eagles striker, Michael Eneramo, is dead, according to SCORENigeria on Friday.

Eneramo reportedly slumped and died while playing a football match in Kaduna State.

The 40-year-old was said to be featuring at the Angwan Yelwa pitch in the Television area of Kaduna when the incident occurred.

“He slumped and died right on the spot. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful,” a source told SCORENigeria.

The former international came on as a substitute in the second half before collapsing without any contact.

“He was pronounced dead at the hospital.”

Eneramo, who had retired from professional football, previously played for several clubs, including Besiktas of Turkey, Tunisian side Esperance, and Nigerian club Lobi Stars.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has commenced work on remodelling Osogbo Township Stadium from 4,000 to 15,000 sitting capacity.

In a statement , Governor Adeleke emphasised that the increased capacity will attract major sporting events to boost the development of all games in the state.

Adeleke expressed happiness at the involvement of several foreign technical partners working with the contractors to ensure that the new stadium meets FIFA standards and eventually secures FIFA certification.

He commended the speedy and qualitative ongoing remodelling of the stadium.

“This is the way to finally integrate Osun into the mainstream of sports development in the country.

“As a sports-loving governor, I am eager to ensure that the Osun Sports Trust Fund becomes operational,” he said.