FIFA has announced a record-breaking prize purse for the maiden edition of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in 2026, with the eventual champions set to pocket USD 2.3 million, the highest single payout ever awarded in women’s club football.

The prize structure was unveiled on Friday by FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, who described the move as “a clear statement of belief in women’s club football and in the players, teams and competitions driving its continued rise.”

Under the new structure, the runners-up will earn USD 1 million, while each of the two semi-finalists will receive USD 200,000. Clubs eliminated in Round One and Round Two, Auckland United FC of New Zealand and Wuhan Chegu Jiangda WFC of China PR, will take home USD 100,000 each.

In total, nearly USD 4 million will be distributed among the six participating clubs, highlighting FIFA’s increasing financial commitment to the growth and sustainability of the women’s club game.

Grafström noted that the prize fund aligns with FIFA’s broader strategy to accelerate global investment in women’s football. Following the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, the world football body distributed USD 11.3 million to 1,041 clubs through its Club Benefits Programme, strengthening both grassroots and professional structures.

These initiatives are further supported by reforms to the Women’s International Match Calendar and the introduction of elite global competitions, including the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, scheduled to launch in 2028. The Club World Cup will introduce measures such as training compensation, enhanced club support and minimum standards programmes aimed at boosting performance and long-term sustainability.

The Women’s Champions Cup will bring together the top women’s clubs from each confederation to determine the world’s intercontinental champions.

The final phase of the tournament will take place in London from 28 January to 1 February 2026. The semi-finals will be staged at Brentford Stadium, with Concacaf champions Gotham FC of the United States facing CONMEBOL winners SC Corinthians of Brazil, before UEFA holders Arsenal Women FC take on CAF champions ASFAR of Morocco.

The competition will conclude at the Emirates Stadium, which will host the third-place play-off and the historic final, where the first-ever FIFA Women’s intercontinental club champions will be crowned.