With the 2014 World Cup tournament almost over, now is a good time to have a look around and see how much money teams have won for their performances during the tournament.
That’s right, Sepp Blatter has got his checkbook out. Happy days.
As set out by FIFA back in December 2013 the winners, either Germany or Argentina, will receive $35 million in prize money from soccer’s world governing body. The total amount of prize money rose by a whopping 37 percent to $576 million for the 2014 tournament from the $420 million handed out during South Africa 2010.
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Even the runner up will bag $25 million, while Brazil and the Netherlands will battle it out in the third place match for a cool $22 million... the loser, and subsequent fourth place team, still get $20 million.
So, what about the USA? What did Jurgen Klinsmann’s men earn after their hard-fought journey to the round of 16?
$9 million.
Every team who got knocked out of the round of 16 made $9 million. As for those teams who made the quarterfinal stage, they each received $14 million. So, in theory, the U.S. were a Chris Wondolowski chance away from bagging an extra $5 million in prize money. Too soon?
$9 million isn’t bad though, right? Coupled with the $1.5 million FIFA gave all 32 nations for ‘preparation costs’ I’d say that the U.S. Soccer Federation certainly did okay out of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. Plus, look at all the sponsorship deals the U.S. signed and everything else that comes with enhanced exposure after the record TV numbers.
However, here is where it gets interesting. The 16 nations who were knocked out at the group stages, how much do you think they got? The answer is $8 million.
So even if the U.S. felt like they made a monumental leap forward, prestige wise, in qualifying from the ‘group of death’ and making the knockout rounds, they only received $1 million more than Cameroon, Honduras or Australia who all finished bottom of their groups without a single point in the tournament.
Does that seem a little unfair? Perhaps. Regardless, if FIFA is dishing out prize money, it don’t see any teams complaining.
Anyway, here is the list in full as to how much money each team made from the 2014 World Cup. Do you think this is the fairest way of splitting up the humongous pot of money? Any other suggestions?
PRIZE MONEY WON AT 2014 WORLD CUP
1. TBD - $35 million
2. TBD - $25 million
3. TBD - $22 million
4. TBD - $20 million
5. Colombia - $14 million
6. Belgium - $14 million
7. France - $14 million
8. Costa Rica - $14 million
*** ELIMINATED AT ROUND OF 16 ***
9. Chile - $9 million
10. Mexico - $9 million
11. Switzerland - $9 million
12. Uruguay - $9 million
13. Greece - $9 million
14. Algeria - $9 million
15. USA - $9 million
16. Nigeria - $9 million
*** ELIMINATED IN GROUP STAGE ***
17. Ecuador - $8 million
18. Portugal - $8 million
19. Croatia - $8 million
20. Bosnia - $8 million
21. Ivory Coast - $8 million
22. Italy - $8 million
23. Spain - $8 million
24. Russia - $8 million
25. Ghana - $8 million
26. England - $8 million
27. South Korea - $8 million
28. Iran - $8 million
29. Japan - $8 million
30. Australia - $8 million
31. Honduras - $8 million
32. Cameroon - $8 million