$125 million reasons to win the Club World Cup? FIFA announces new prize pot

The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on Wednesday announced an increase in the winners' prize amount to $125 million of this year's 32-team Club World Cup to be held in the US, Reuters quoted FIFA as saying.

Earlier in March, FIFA had announced a total prize pot of $1 billion for the June 14-July 13 event, whish is significant in the current climate of financial regulation for clubs.

"FIFA will neither retain any funding for this tournament, as all revenues will be distributed to club football, nor will it touch FIFA's reserves, which are set aside for global football development through the 211 FIFA Member Associations," Reuters quoted FIFA president Gianni Infantino as saying in a statement.

Segregation of money:

According to the FIFA statement, about half of the $1 billion total will be divided between all 32 clubs. This will be divided based on club's sporting and commercial criteria, which means clubs such as Manchester City and Real Madrid will receive a greater percentage compared to smaller clubs in a model FIFA developed with the European Club Association.

However, the rest $475 million will be awarded on a performance-related basis, which means the team with the most wins over a potential seven matches will bank more cash, with a maximum pot of $125 million available.

Reactions on Club World Cup:

England captain Harry Kane and others, have voiced concern over player welfare with the revamped Club World Cup meaning less time off between seasons.

"Of course it's another summer where you don't really have a break," Reuters quoted Kane as saying this week. “I think we're getting used to it. There's nothing really we can do about it.”

The Bayern Munich striker said he had high hopes for the event, however, telling FIFA.com that his goal was: “To win it. We're one of the best teams in the world, without a doubt, so every tournament we go into, the idea is to win.”

With agency inputs.