By Kunle Solaja.

Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has carried a high financial cost, with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) missing out on a guaranteed minimum of USD 10.5 million following FIFA’s approval of a record USD 655 million prize money pool for the tournament.

FIFA confirmed that every one of the 48 teams that qualify for the expanded World Cup in North America will receive USD 1.5 million in preparation funds, in addition to a minimum participation payout of USD 9 million for teams finishing between 33rd and 48th place.

 This ensures that each participating Member Association earns at least USD 10.5 million simply for qualifying.

Nigeria’s absence from the tournament means the NFF will receive none of these funds, a significant blow at a time when many African federations rely heavily on FIFA competitions to support national team programmes, grassroots development and administrative costs.

Beyond the guaranteed participation fee, deeper progression at the World Cup would have offered Nigeria the chance to earn far more.

Teams reaching the round of 16 will earn USD 15 million, while those advancing to the quarter-finals collect USD 19 million. The champions will receive USD 50 million, with runners-up pocketing USD 33 million.

The loss goes beyond prize money. World Cup qualification typically boosts commercial revenue through sponsorships, broadcast exposure and merchandising, while also strengthening a federation’s negotiating power with partners.

Nigeria, a three-time African champion and one of the continent’s most marketable football brands, will miss out on the global visibility that comes with participation in football’s biggest event.

The financial setback also has implications for youth and grassroots development. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stressed that revenues from the World Cup are being reinvested into global football, including the introduction of new U-15 festival-style tournaments for boys and girls from 2026.

Federations competing at the World Cup are often better positioned to leverage such programmes and funding opportunities.

For the NFF, the missed opportunity underscores the growing cost of failure to qualify for major tournaments in an era of expanding FIFA revenues.

With the 2026 World Cup offering unprecedented financial rewards, Nigeria’s absence represents not only a sporting disappointment but also a major economic loss for the country’s football ecosystem.

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FIFA has slashed the price of some World Cup tickets and introduced a new $60 category for loyal supporters following a global backlash over the cost of attending the tournament in North America.

In a statement on Tuesday, world football’s governing body said the $60 tickets will be available for every match at the expanded 48-team World Cup, including the final, and will be allocated to national football federations whose teams qualify for the tournament. The federations will decide how the tickets are distributed, targeting fans who have consistently followed their national teams at home and abroad.

FIFA described the new category as a “Supporter Entry Tier”, though the number of tickets available for each match is expected to run into the hundreds rather than thousands.

The decision marks a dramatic shift from FIFA’s original ticketing strategy, under which fans could be asked to pay as much as $4,185 for premium seats at the final. FIFA did not directly acknowledge the backlash but said the lower prices were “designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament”.

The World Cup, to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is expected to generate at least $10 billion in revenue for FIFA. However, anger erupted last week when ticket prices were revealed, showing that participating teams had no allocation in the lowest-priced category.

Under the initial plan, the cheapest tickets ranged from $120 to $265 for group-stage matches not involving the three co-hosts. That approach appeared to contradict assurances given during the 2018 bidding process, when the North American hosts pledged that hundreds of thousands of tickets would be sold for as little as $21.

Criticism, particularly from European supporters, had been mounting for months over FIFA’s proposed use of “dynamic pricing” and additional fees on a FIFA-operated resale platform — practices familiar in the U.S. entertainment industry but unpopular with traditional football fans.

Fan frustration intensified when it emerged that supporters reserving tickets for all potential matches involving their team, up to and including the final, would not receive refunds for unused games until after the tournament had ended.

In a further concession announced on Tuesday, FIFA said it would waive its administrative fees on all refunds issued after the July 19 final.

The changes represent a partial climbdown by FIFA as it seeks to calm discontent among supporters ahead of what will be the largest and most commercially ambitious World Cup in history.

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Argentina’s football authorities are facing mounting pressure following the launch of a wide-ranging federal investigation into alleged money laundering linked to the Argentine Football Association (AFA), a development that is now drawing attention beyond the country’s borders.

Federal investigators last week carried out coordinated raids on several football-related locations, including the AFA headquarters in Buenos Aires, the national team’s training centre and the offices of at least 17 domestic clubs. The operation, conducted on December 9, was ordered by a federal judge after Argentina’s customs agency flagged suspicious financial transactions associated with football-related deals.

At the centre of the investigation is a financial firm, Sur Finanzas, which prosecutors believe may have served as a key conduit for moving undeclared funds through questionable loans and allegedly fictitious commercial agreements with multiple football clubs. Investigators seized large volumes of documents and electronic data during the raids as they attempt to determine the scale of the alleged activities, which could involve billions of pesos.

No formal charges have been filed so far, but the probe has placed AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia under intense scrutiny. While Tapia has not been accused of wrongdoing in this specific case, the investigation has added to existing questions surrounding his broader business interests.

Tapia has denied any involvement in illegal activity, and the AFA has stated that it is fully cooperating with federal authorities. The association insists that its operations remain unaffected, describing the situation as “business as usual” and stressing that football activities continue uninterrupted.

However, the legal proceedings have sparked wider concerns about possible international repercussions. FIFA maintains strict regulations regarding government or judicial interference in the affairs of national football associations, with past cases showing that such situations can lead to suspensions if the governing body believes its autonomy has been compromised.

Although FIFA has not issued any warnings or disciplinary notices in relation to Argentina, the scale and visibility of the investigation have fuelled speculation over a potential — though currently hypothetical — risk to Argentina’s participation in the 2026 World Cup.

Experts note that such an outcome would be highly unlikely unless the investigation escalated into a formal government takeover or direct control of the AFA, a scenario that authorities have so far given no indication of pursuing.

For now, the focus remains on the courts, as investigators continue to piece together the financial trail, while Argentine football watches closely to see whether the controversy remains a legal matter — or grows into a crisis with global consequences.

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