COPA AMÉRICA
How much prize money do the winners of the Copa América receive?
Here’s a breakdown of what’s on offer for the winners of the upcoming Copa América.
The excitement for the upcoming Copa América is growing by the day. The continental tournament, that will take place in the US, will see world champions Argentina defend their title. Still with Leo Messi at the helm, the albiceleste will no doubt still be riding the wave that has carried them on an unbeaten run since the end of 2022, when they were proclaimed the best team in the world.
They also won the 2021 Copa América, beating Brazil 1-0 in the final in a game that, looking back, set them up perfectly for a World Cup triumph. Teams in this year’s Copa América will be looking to do the same: with the 2026 World Cup set to take place in the US, Canada and Mexico, teams will be anxious to get going in the tournament to name the best team of the continent.
When does the Copa América begin?
The continental tournament starts on June 20 with Argentina, who take on Jesse Marsch’s Canada. We then have non-stop action (which you can follow on AS USA, shameless plug) before the grand final on July 7, which is set for kick-off at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 8PM local time.
How much do the winners of the Copa América receive?
According to ESPN, the 2024 Copa América is set to hand out $72 million in participation fees and prize money to the tournament’s teams, with the winner getting $16m - a record that smashes the previous amounts.
The report states that each team “will receive a $2 million participation fee just for taking part, with the remaining $40 million being classified as prize money”.
The prize money portion is over double the $19.5 million that was awarded back in 2021. Back then, winners Argentina received $6.5 million.
The jump in prize money is significant and highlights why both CONMEBOL and CONCACAF chose to expand the tournament this time around. The U.S. hosted the Copa América Centenario in 2016, when there was a total prize pool of $21.5 million, with $6.5 million going to winners Chile - the same as in 2021.
Argentina latest:
A total of $2 million each in prize money is on offer for teams that make it to the quarter-finals, while the fourth place team will receive $4 million. Moving onto the podium, the third place team will take home $5 million, while the losing finalist will receive $7 million. As well as this huge sum of cash, the organisers of the tournament will also cover the teams’ costs for hotels, airfare and ground transportation. If only they did the same for the fans (and journalists).
ESPN also add that “nine percent of whatever prize money the U.S. might earn will go into a joint fund that will be split evenly between members of the USMNT and USWNT, with the U.S. Soccer Federation pocketing the remaining 21%”.