Associated Press, December 3, 2009

Robben island, South Africa (AP) - The winning team at next year's World Cup will get $31 million in prize money.

Fifa said Thursday the overall prize pool to be divided between the 32 participating nations will be $420 million, a 60 percent increase from the 332 Swiss francs (then $261. 4 million) it paid out at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Each team will receive $1 million for preparation costs. The winner will get an additional $30 million, the runner-up $24 million, semifinal losers $20 million, quarterfinal losers $18 million, second-round losers $9 million and first-round losers $8 million.

In 2006, when Swiss francs were used, the advance payment was 1 million Swiss francs ($787, 000). The winner received $19. 3 million, the runner-up $17. 7 million, semifinal losers $16. 9 million, quarterfinal losers $9. 1 million, second-round losers $6. 7 million and first-round losers $5. 5 million.

In addition, $40 million was set aside to pay clubs, through national associations, for the participation of their players.

Last time, 15 million Swiss francs ($11. 8 million) was put in an insurance fund to compensate clubs if their players got hurt.

A lot of money yes. But when you think about the size of the world cup and how many people get attracted to football through the world cup its deffinatly worth it. To have so many of the worlds top players in one place competing for the one trophy. Its brilliant.

Is it still the biggest sporting event in the world?

Don`t know wath will Spain do with all this money.... Buy new booths for the players, t-shirts....  

Basically a team has secured at least one million pounds/dollars for qualifying. What a good idea.come on England! If we get as far as I expect us to I'm sure we could get some extra money, enough to donate to the people in poverty.... Of course we can spend it on new players for Chelsea as well But $30 million is a large sum of money!

OMG!
That's freaking huge money.
And spain or brazil is going to win it for sure.
And spent some in charity for AIDS.
Especially in nigeria and india.
Give 'em some sex education.
Well that's a least we can do.

Needles to say any country's football association is going to have plans for the money and only a portion will trickle down to the players. But what an incentive to hold out for the players.

If I were Bradley, I would start demanding a big chunk of that money and start reeling in the boys for some extra practice. Let's negotiate how much to give the players and give them a real stake in it

Imagine what would happen to the world if North Korea won.... I wonder what they would do with $31million dollars. Hmmm something that consist of a big boom?

Wow that is a ton of money! I wish I won! If I had 31 million dollars.... Decisions, decisions