The monetary gain associated with the participation of the four African countries in the FIFA Club World Cup appears to be a significant compensation, despite an early group-stage elimination of these clubs.

FIFA's Club World Cup announced its first-ever 32-team edition in 2025 to include four African countries, including Al Ahly (Egypt), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), and Esperance (Tunisia), alongside Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa).

These four African clubs clashed with elite European clubs like Chelsea, Man City, Dortmund and Juventus, from June 16-24, but none managed to finish in the top two of their respective groups to advance to the knockout stage.

However, each group earned decent returns, starting with a base participation fee of $9.55 million for each club.

And for clubs like Mamelodi Sundowns, who won and secured a draw against Fluminense on June 25 at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami secured an additional 3 million dollars for their draw ($1 m) and their 1-0 win against Ulsan HD on June 17 at the Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando.

Al Ahly from Egypt earned a total of $11.6 million from their participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Espérance Sportive de Tunis, representing Tunisia, also took home $11.6 million. Wydad Casablanca from Morocco earned $9.6 million after they ran in the tournament.

However, these financial gains weren't the four powerhouses' only gains, but also their clash with other English teams marks a significant milestone in African football.

The total prize money for the tournament reached an astounding $1 billion, with $525 million allocated for participation and $475 million for performance-based rewards.

The eventual tournament winner is set to receive a massive $40 million on top of accumulated performance bonuses and their participation fee.

The FIFA Club World Cup's new financial structure guarantees a substantial base participation fee for all teams, complemented by performance-based incentives.

While participation in the Club World is 'juicy,' there have been several complaints from players, coaches, and pundits concerning the impact on player health and performance delivery.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has criticised the Club World Cup as “the worst idea ever implemented in football,” citing concerns over players' welfare.

“It’s all about the game and not the surrounding events – and that’s why the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football in this regard,” he said.

Man City's coach, Pep Guardiola, also made similar complaints about player exhaustion and intense player schedules, citing potential jeopardy to player performance in the upcoming season.

He said players hardly rest after the end of the Premier League season (May 25) and the start of the Club World Cup (June 18).