$21 Million and Rising: How Inter Miami Club World Cup Run is Paying Off Big Time

Why Inter Miami’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign is already a financial success

Inter Miami might still be chasing glory on the pitch at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, but off the field, the MLS club has already scored big — to the tune of $21.05 million. And that figure could soar even higher if Lionel Messi’s team continues their unlikely journey past European royalty.

The Herons may have only managed one win and two draws from their group stage matches, but thanks to FIFA’s lucrative prize structure, that modest unbeaten record has earned them a jaw-dropping windfall. With the MLS season behind them, Miami are making headlines on a global stage — and their accountants are smiling just as much as their fans.

Modest results, massive reward

After earning a special invite to the newly expanded Club World Cup, few expected Inter Miami — a franchise that didn’t even exist five years ago — to stand toe-to-toe with clubs like Porto, Palmeiras, and Al Ahly. But that’s exactly what they’ve done.

Their results in Group A weren’t spectacular, but they were enough:

• A 1-1 draw with Al Ahly netted them $1 million

• A thrilling 3-2 win over Porto earned another $2 million

• A final group-stage 2-2 draw with Palmeiras brought in another $1 million

That’s $4 million earned from performances alone, on top of the $9.55 million appearance fee awarded to all participating MLS teams. With Inter Miami advancing to the Round of 16, they also bagged an additional $7.5 million, pushing their total earnings to $21.05 million — and they’re not done yet.

The next step: PSG and a chance at $34 million

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Having finished second in their group, Inter Miami now faces one of the biggest challenges in the tournament: UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, a club Messi knows all too well. The showdown is set to take place in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday — and it’s more than just a football spectacle.

If Miami manages to pull off an upset and knock out the French giants, they’ll earn another $13.125 million, bringing their total Club World Cup haul to over $34 million.

That kind of payday is nearly unheard of in MLS circles — especially for a team that hasn’t yet won an MLS Cup or reached the final stages of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. But this is the magic of the FIFA Club World Cup: a global showcase with a billion-dollar prize pot.

FIFA’s billion-dollar carrot

Yes, you read that correctly — $1 billion. That’s the total prize pool being handed out at this year’s tournament, with payouts scaling based on progression. The ultimate winners of the Club World Cup could walk away with up to $125 million, only slightly less than the Premier League title prize.

For context, winning MLS Cup nets the champion around $500,000 in prize money — so even Miami’s current $21 million payout is already more than 40 times that.

In many ways, tournaments like this are just as much about financial growth and market expansion as they are about football. For clubs outside Europe’s elite — like Inter Miami — it’s a rare opportunity to mix it with the big boys and earn life-changing sums in the process.

A wider conversation: who gets the money?

However, all that glitters isn’t gold — at least not for every player. MLS operates as a single-entity league, meaning the teams don’t operate as financially independent clubs. Instead, the league holds central control over contracts and major revenues — including Club World Cup earnings.

So while Inter Miami has technically earned more than $21 million, that money doesn’t go straight into the club’s coffers. Instead, it gets funneled through the league office, which then decides how to allocate the funds. That’s a point of tension, especially among players who believe they should receive a direct share of the rewards.

Earlier in the tournament, Seattle Sounders players protested MLS’s approach to revenue sharing, arguing that they deserved a cut of the FIFA prize money. Though Seattle were eliminated early, their point still resonates — especially as Inter Miami’s financial tally climbs higher.

As it stands, how much of that money ends up with Messi and his teammates remains a murky subject.

Messi’s millions: More than just stardust

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Of course, much of Inter Miami’s success — both sporting and financial — comes down to one man: Lionel Messi. His presence at the tournament has drawn international attention and sold out stadiums from coast to coast. He’s not just the club’s talisman — he’s the entire reason they were even invited to the Club World Cup.

The sight of Messi facing off against his former club PSG adds a Hollywood layer to an already dramatic narrative. Though he didn’t score in the group stage finale, his name continues to dominate headlines, and his mere presence ensures global broadcast interest, higher ticket sales, and increased brand exposure for the club and the league.

Beyond dollars: A win for MLS prestige

While money talks, there’s another valuable currency in football — reputation. Inter Miami’s performance has given Major League Soccer a rare boost in credibility. With LAFC and Seattle both eliminated in the group stage, the Herons are the last MLS team standing — and the deeper they go, the more the league’s international standing improves.

For years, MLS has been fighting for respect on the global stage. Now, with Messi in tow and a possible win over PSG on the horizon, Inter Miami could help tip the scales.

What’s next?

The clash with PSG will be Miami’s biggest test yet. Can Messi roll back the years against the club he once called home? Can the Herons keep their fairy tale run alive? And just how high will that prize money climb?

Regardless of the outcome on Sunday, Inter Miami have already hit the jackpot. But with a possible $34 million payday looming and football’s biggest icons watching, there’s every reason to believe that the best may still be to come.