The Socceroos’ most successful World Cup campaign in history has delivered the Australian players a record payday – and it could reach around $A430,000 each should they stun heavyweights Argentina in the Round of 16.
But their impressive success, already including two wins at a World Cup for the first time, is also set to deliver far more important rewards for some players – as scouts from major European clubs watch on with interest at Qatar.
It’s not just the players who earn a payday from their Qatar heroics, with their clubs also seeing a massive windfall from FIFA for sending their players to the tournament.
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AUSSIES IN LINE FOR TRANSFERS AFTER QATAR
Harry Souttar’s incredible performances at centre-back have reportedly revived Premier League interest in the towering Australian. The Stoke City man was strongly linked to a number of top-flight English clubs before his ACL injury last November. The 24-year-old reportedly had a price tag around £20m, a figure that is surely increasing with every standout performance in Qatar.
Souttar’s centre-back partner Kye Rowles is also drawing rave reviews for his stalwart showings. Rowles, alongside Nathaniel Atkinson and Cameron Devlin, plays for Heart of Midlothian in Scotland – but their manager joked today the impressive young trio might be headed for big moves soon.
Asked whether Hearts were planning on transfers in the January transfer window, manager Robbie Neilson replied: “Don’t think so, no. It depends on what the boys do in the World Cup, eh?”
Rowles is the Hearts player most likely to garner interest, given he has started all three matches so far, while right-back Atkinson played against France before being injured. Hard-tackling midfield warrior Devlin hasn’t yet been given a chance to make his mark on the World Cup stage.
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Socceroos captain Mat Ryan is all-but-certain to leave FC Copenhagen in January after losing the starting role there in recent months, as his manager confirmed recently, and his solid performances in Qatar will have plenty of clubs interested.
Besides those three, perhaps the player most likely to earn a move on the back of the World Cup is Keanu Baccus, who was brought on for the second half against Denmark and was one of the best on the park in that remarkable victory.
Attacker Craig Goodwin is another Socceroo who could be on clubs’ shopping lists thanks to his form in Qatar. The 30-year-old has notched a goal and an assist, starting all three group games. The Adelaide United winger has previously played in the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia – and it wouldn’t surprise if overseas nations come in with a bid for the talented forward.
Mitch Duke, who features in Japan’s second tier with Fagiano Okayama, struck a sensational header against Tunisia and has consistently impressed in Qatar with his tireless running and hold-up play. A move to a top-flight club is a possibility.
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PRIZE MONEY WINDFALL FOR AUSSIE STARS
The team that hoists the trophy in Qatar will rake in a whopping $42m US for their World Cup triumph, an increase of $4m US compared to Russia 2018.
But prize money has been increased across the board, with the total pool up $40 million from 2018 to a staggering $440m US.
That sees teams earn $9m US for the group stage (a million more than 2018), rising to $13m US for reaching the knockouts, and $17m US ($A25m) should the Socceroos beat Argentina and make the quarters.
Each nation also is given a $1.5 million US participation fee to go towards travel and accommodation for the tournament.
The Socceroos’ collective bargaining agreement signed in 2019 guarantees the players 40 per cent of the group-stage prizemoney – $3.6m of the $9m US. Divided by the 26 players, that’s around $138,500 US each ($A203,000).
But the Socceroos’ pay deal also gives players 50 per cent of the prizemoney for the knockout stages. That means the 26 players pocketed a cool $77,000 US ($A113k) as a bonus for beating Denmark and reaching the Round of 16. It takes their total earnings to over $200,000 US ($A316k) so far.
Should they beat Argentina, they will receive that same $77,000 USD ($A113k) figure as a bonus, taking their payout to around $A430,000.
Under the previous CBA, Socceroos players were awarded 30 per cent of the World Cup prizemoney, making this visit to Qatar a far more lucrative campaign than last tournament.
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HOW CLUBS RAKE IN CASH FOR ROOS’ SUCCESS
The players themselves aren’t the only ones to benefit – with their clubs also set to pocket a record amount.
And some Australian clubs are set to reap the rewards, with the Central Coast Mariners sending three players to Qatar (Garang Kuol, Jason Cummings, and Danny Vukovic) – a record contribution from an A-League team.
Through its ‘club benefits programme’, FIFA pays clubs around US$10,000 ($A14,662) for each day a player is at this World Cup – from the start of the ‘official preparation period’ around a week before the tournament began until the day their nation is eliminated. It does not matter if a player takes to the field or not, just that they are included in the 26-man squad.
According to FIFA, a player’s club will therefore receive around $180,000 US ($A264k) for the group stage, rising to $220,000 US ($A323k) for the Round of 16.
A player that makes it to the quarter-finals will earn his club $280,000 ($A411k), while a player that makes it all the way to the final will earn his club around $370,000 USD ($A543k).
FIFA’s entire distribution totals $209m US ($A306.5m) – a massive rise from the $40m US handed out in 2010 when the scheme was first introduced.
With three players in the squad, the Mariners are set for a major windfall. Normally, with three players delivering $220,000 US ($A323k) each for reaching the Round of 16, that would give the Mariners around $A969,000 so far.
However, veteran gloveman Vukovic only returned to the Mariners in August 2022 from NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands, a club he joined from rivals Genk in June 2021. Both of those clubs will earn a share of the payout from FIFA – and while the exact details have not been released by FIFA, based on the 2018 formula they will earn a third each. That could cost the Mariners over $200,000!
Mariners chairman Richard Peil told the Sydney Morning Herald earlier in the group stage that he wasn’t exactly sure what the club will receive, but said: “Look, it’s going to be a decent chunk of money. For a small club with a small budget, it’s massive for us.
“But I can tell you one thing — with three players in the squad, I’ll be over the moon if they get the past the group stage. I will do backflips, somersaults and whatever else I can manage to do with a 55-year-old broken-down body.”
A-League heavyweights Melbourne City also have three players in the Socceroos squad after winger Marco Tilio was called up to replace the injured Martin Boyle at the last minute. He joined fellow attackers Mat Leckie and Jamie Maclaren in the squad – meaning City are also guaranteed a large portion of that nearly million-dollar payout.
One caveat in their case is that Tilio was a late replacement for the squad, so the club may not be paid for as many days in his case as the other pair – potentially as much as a week, or $70,000 US, less.
And Leckie also joined the club in June 2021 from German club Hertha BSC, who are likely set to pocket one-third of the $220,000 US ($A323k) payout.
Nevertheless, City will be more than pleased at their likely $A700,000-plus payment from their green and gold trio – and will be crossing their fingers, like all Aussies, that the Socceroos can keep their Qatar dream alive.
