Sunderland World Cup funding boost as Bailey Wright and Jewison Bennette will earn club share of FIFA's £189m pot

Sunderland will be one of many clubs to benefit financially from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar this winter.
By James Copley
Published 8th Nov 2022, 15:00 BST
Updated 16th Nov 2022, 18:16 BST
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A FIFA announcement earlier this year confirmed that around £189million has been set aside for clubs with representatives at the upcoming tournament.

So far Sunderland have two players heading to the World Cup.

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Defender Bailey Wright has been selected in the Australia squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar later this month.

BERLIN - JULY 9: General view of the World Cup trophy prior to the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final match between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)BERLIN - JULY 9: General view of the World Cup trophy prior to the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final match between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
BERLIN - JULY 9: General view of the World Cup trophy prior to the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final match between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

The 30-year-old centre-back joined the Black Cats on an initial loan deal during the 2019-20 season in League One and has since made 100 appearances in red and white across all competitions.

Wright is the second Sunderland player to receive a call-up for the World Cup, with youngster Jewison Bennette also set to join Costa Rica’s squad in Qatar.

The Premier League season will be halted from November 14 to December 26 as the World Cup takes place, with the Championship also set to be paused for a spell.

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Sunderland have one more game before their three-week break, Birmingham City away on Friday evening in the Championship.

And for every day a player remains with their national team during the World Cup break, the clubs they are contracted to will be given around £9,000 per player. This will start from the day the player joins up with their national team and ends when the nation plays its final game of the tournament.

But clubs will only receive the full payout for players who were signed at least two years before the start of the tournament. For players that have signed for a club within the last two years, the payment will be shared proportionally.

With Bennette joining the club in 2022 means Sunderland will have to share the £9,000 per-player-per-day payout with Herediano. The Black Cats will, however, pocket the full amount from Wright’s trip.

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It is unlikely any player sold by Sunderland within the past two years will be going to the World Cup. If any Sunderland player were to reach the semi-finals of the tournament, the club would be entitled to a share of around £300,000 per player.

Related topics:SunderlandFIFAQatarAustraliaPremier League