The Football Association is prepared to hand out a mammoth £19 million in bonuses if England end 60 years of hurt and lift the FIFA World Cup this summer. According to The Guardian, the squad would share a pool of £15 million, with manager Thomas Tuchel pocketing £3 million and his backroom staff receiving approximately £1 million.
The figures emerged just as England prepare for Saturday’s quarter-final showdown with Norway in Miami, though not all the news surrounding the fixture is positive.
Lack of Demand for Norway Quarter-Final
In a separate report, The Telegraph reveals that almost 2,000 tickets for the match remain unsold on the official FIFA website, raising the embarrassing prospect of empty seats at a World Cup knockout tie involving one of the tournament favourites.
“Almost 2,000 tickets for England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway are up for sale on the official Fifa site,” the paper notes, highlighting the sluggish demand.
The situation is particularly surprising given England’s profile and the relatively short travel distance from Europe. Organisers will hope a late surge pushes sales, but the optics of a less-than-full stadium are far from ideal.
Triple Injury Boost for Tuchel
On the pitch, Thomas Tuchel received encouraging news on Friday. Declan Rice, who had been ill after the last-16 win over Mexico, and Marc Guehi, nursing a hamstring concern, both took full part in training in Miami. Reece James also joined the session, albeit his return from a hamstring problem remains managed and he is unlikely to start.
“Both players took part in training on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Norway,” an England spokesperson confirmed, adding that only the injured Jordan Henderson (broken wrist/arm) missed the session.
The fitness of Rice and Guehi in particular is a huge boost for Tuchel, who will need his strongest XI to navigate a stubborn Norwegian side that eliminated Brazil in the previous round.
Key Takeaways
- The FA has reportedly set a bonus pot of £19m for winning the World Cup, with £15m allocated to the players, £3m to Thomas Tuchel, and £1m to his backroom staff.
- Nearly 2,000 tickets remain unsold for England’s quarter-final against Norway, raising fears of visible empty seats at the match.
- Declan Rice, Marc Guehi, and Reece James all returned to training, providing a major injury boost ahead of the Norway clash.
- Jordan Henderson is the only squad member ruled out, with a broken wrist and arm sustained during celebrations after the Mexico win.
Quick Facts
Squad Bonus: £15,000,000
Tuchel Bonus: £3,000,000
Backroom Bonus: ~£1,000,000
Unsold Norway Tickets: ~2,000
