France will receive a minimum of $27 million in prize money from the 2026 World Cup despite losing to Spain in the semi-final, according to fortune.com. The team will play a third-place match against the loser of the England-Argentina game to determine if they earn $29 million for finishing third or $27 million for fourth. This marks France’s worst World Cup finish since 2014.
The French squad’s earnings include match fees and bonuses, but star striker Kylian Mbappé is set to donate his entire share to charity. Mbappé, 27, has not taken a salary from the national team since 2018 and has given away all his earnings for representing France, including the $500,000 bonus from their last World Cup win. Additionally, 30% of his income supports his IBKM Foundation, which aids young people.
This financial outcome underscores the lucrative nature of the World Cup for national teams, even those not winning the tournament. France’s guaranteed prize money is among the highest for teams finishing outside the final, reflecting the tournament’s growing commercial scale. Mbappé’s charitable approach to his earnings highlights a rare example of philanthropy among top athletes in international football.
France’s third-place match is scheduled following the England-Argentina game, which will finalize their prize money between $27 million and $29 million. Mbappé’s continued commitment to donating his national team earnings remains a notable aspect of the 2026 World Cup narrative.