Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates set for massive World Cup windfall

Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are set to massively boost their coffers during the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

‎Sundowns and Pirates will contribute the lion’s share of Bafana Bafana players going to the World Cup and that will come with a big-money payday from FIFA.

‎FIFA’s Club Benefit Programme will see clubs paid between $12,000 (R203,979) and $15,000 (R254,974) per player, per day from the start of the national team camp until their elimination.

‎The longer a player stays in the tournament the more his club earns, meaning the two PSL clubs are in for a big payday.

How many days will Bafana be at World Cup?

‎FIFA’s pot has risen to about $355 million (R6 billion) and, for the first time, now covers qualification games. In 2022 clubs received roughly $10,000 (R169,983) per player for each day at the finals but the figure has increased for the 2026 edition.

‎Bafana Bafana will have their pre-World Cup camp at Universidad del Futbol in Pachuca, Mexico, some 85km from Mexico City, where they will play their World Cup opener against co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on June 11.

‎South Africa’s group stage schedule also includes a trip to Atlanta, USA, for a match against the Czech Republic on June 18 before returning to Mexico to face South Korea in Guadalupe on June 24.

‎Broos revealed in February that he plans to start camp not later than June 1, meaning Bafana Bafana will be out for the World Cup for at least 24 days.

Sundowns and Pirates players to dominate squad

If one player will earn clubs between $12,000 and $15,000, South African clubs will pocket at least $288,000 (R4.89 million) from just one player at the World Cup.

For clubs like Sundowns and Pirates, it is harvest time. From the just-concluded Bafana Bafana camp where they played Panama twice, Sundowns had seven players while Pirates had six and it is hard to see any of them missing out on the World Cup squad.

Sundowns players were; Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Teboho Mokoena, Themba Zwane, Khulumani Ndamane and Jayden Adams while Pirates had; Relebohile Mofokeng, Tshepang Moremi, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Oswin Appollis, Evidence Makgopa and Thalente Mbatha.

How much could PSL ‘Big Two’ pocket at World Cup?

There could be a few additions from these two clubs but the aforementioned are likely to retain their places when the World Cup squad is named which means Sundowns could make at least $2 million (R34.26 million) while Pirates could be set to pocket not less than $1,728,000 (R29.37 million) from the World Cup.

The amount will even go higher if South Africa make it past the group stage for the first time in their World Cup history.

It is worth noting that this amount will be paid to clubs and is separate from the World Cup prize money that each nation will receive from FIFA for participating at the tournament.