The official FIFA World Cup squad lists offer a revealing snapshot of Spanish soccer this season, particularly for clubs that have endured a difficult campaign, such as Real Madrid.

According to FIFA’s ranking of players selected by club, Real Madrid sits in a surprisingly modest 14th place with just 10 players called up, the same as Czech club Slavia Prague. Atlético Madrid, with 12 representatives, does not even crack the top five. Barcelona is the only Spanish giant that comes close to matching Europe’s elite, with 15 players selected.

The list is topped by Manchester City with 19 players, followed by Bayern Munich with 18.

World Cup call-ups bring major financial rewards

Beyond the prestige of having players compete on soccer’s biggest stage, clubs also receive substantial compensation from FIFA. Simply put, the more players a club sends to the tournament, the more money it earns.

For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA increased its club benefits programme by 70%, bringing the total payout pool to $355 million.

Based on average estimates, each player participating in the tournament is worth roughly $11,000 per day to his club. With 19 players at the World Cup, Manchester City could collect approximately $209,000 per day as long as all of its representatives remain active in the competition.

Given that this is the longest World Cup ever staged, those daily payments can add up quickly. By the end of the tournament, City could generate almost $7 million in compensation.

Real Madrid trails Europe’s leaders

Barcelona is the Spanish club best positioned to approach those figures, although it is still unlikely to match the earnings of Manchester City or Bayern Munich.

Atlético Madrid and, especially, Real Madrid are expected to fall well short of their projected returns. Real Madrid’s 10 World Cup representatives would generate approximately $110,000 per day. Assuming its players enjoy an average run in the tournament, the club could finish with roughly $3.5 million in compensation.

That would be about 50% less than the totals Manchester City or Bayern Munich could ultimately receive.

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