The winners of FIFA’s first 32-team Club World Cup in the United States could earn a football record $125m as details of a $1bn prize money fund were finally published.

FIFA said it allocated $525m in guaranteed fees for teams taking part in the June 14 to July 13 tournament,  ranging from $38.19m to the top-ranked European team – likely Real Madrid – to $3.58m for the Oceania representative Auckland City.

A further $475m is to be earned by results in the 63 games, with $2m paid for winning group stage games, $7.5m for playing in the round of 16 and $40m to the team that wins the final at MetLife Stadium near New York.

The golden trophy has been sitting in the Oval Office at the White House this month after FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivered it to President Donald Trump.

The prize fund was delayed until a global broadcast deal was belatedly agreed in December with streaming service DAZN, which then got a major investment from a state-backed sports agency in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia was also confirmed in December by FIFA as host of the men’s 2034 World Cup.

Each of the 12 European teams in the Club World Cup lineup will be paid at least $12.81m as an entry fee. Payments will be decided by “a ranking based on sporting and commercial criteria”, FIFA said without providing details.

Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea also qualified by either winning a Champions League title from 2021 to 2024 or having consistent results in the competition over those four seasons.

Countries were capped at two entries unless they had three Champions League winners. Salzburg of Austria qualified as the final European team, despite never advancing beyond the round of 16, because higher-ranked clubs like Liverpool and Barcelona were blocked by the country cap.

The six South American teams each will get a $15.21m entry fee.

Teams from Africa, Asia and the CONCACAF region of North America — including Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, despite not winning the MLS Cup title last season — each will get $9.55m for playing.

Leon of Mexico is currently contesting its removal from the competition by FIFA because it is in shared ownership with Pachuca, which also qualified.

FIFA aims to pay $250m to clubs worldwide who did not qualify for the tournament. It is unclear how many clubs will be paid, or how much they will get.

The overall prize pool for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar amounted to $440m.

[Aljazerra]

The 91st edition of the grand old clash between Sri Lanka’s two premier Catholic institutions – St. Joseph’s College and St. Peter’s College – is set to bring the house down, with excitement hitting fever pitch. This year’s Battle of the Saints is no ordinary affair – it’s a three-day spectacle, stretching from the 3rd to the 5th of April, mirroring the format of the game’s longer version and promising to be anything but a tame draw.

Thanks to the proactive backing of Sri Lanka Cricket, this season’s big matches have all gone the distance – three days apiece – in a bid to add some real bite to the contests. No more settling for boring dead rubbers. In fact, the numbers don’t lie – of the 90 previous encounters, a whopping 67 have ended in draws. But this year, with an extra day in the bank, the chances of a result are looking as bright as a sunny day at the SSC.

Both St. Joseph’s and St. Peter’s were established by the French Oblate Missionaries, and they now lock horns annually for the much-coveted Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc Trophy – a symbol of glory and tradition passed down through generations.

Who Was Fr. Le Goc?

Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc, a man of letters and a true renaissance soul, was Rector of St. Joseph’s and a giant in the field of education. He wore many hats – scientist, botanist, astronomer, architect – a genuine all-rounder in every sense of the word. After a successful innings at St. Joseph’s, he was handed the task of planting a Josephian branch south of Colombo. That seed blossomed into what we now know as St. Peter’s College.

But the action doesn’t end with the longer format. Once the whites are packed away, the two schools will square off in the limited-over game – a white-ball thriller for the Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai Trophy – named after yet another educational heavyweight.

This year, Kenath Liyanage dons the skipper’s cap for the Josephians, while Oween Salgado leads the charge for the Peterites. Both captains will be looking to etch their names into history with bat and ball.

When it comes to bragging rights, St. Joseph’s have their noses in front with 12 wins to St. Peter’s ten. The Joes last tasted victory in 2008 under the astute leadership of Ruwantha Fernandopulle, while the Peterites had their moment in the sun in 2016, thanks to the calm and composed Vinu Mohotty.

Both schools have served as fertile nurseries for cricketing excellence. The Josephians have rolled out stars such as Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Chaminda Vaas, Dunith Wellalage, Shevon Daniel, Thisara Perera, Ashley de Silva, Roshen Silva and Sadeera Samarawickrama – all of whom have worn the lion crest with pride.

Meanwhile, the Peterite dressing room has seen legends like Roy Dias, Rumesh Ratnayake, Vinodhan John, Amal Silva, Russel Arnold, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Malinda Warnapura, Angelo Perera, Janith Liyanage and Dushan Hemantha rise through its ranks. These two schools have not just produced players – they’ve produced match-winners.

Fans can catch all the action ball by ball via ThePapare TV on Dialog Television Channel 126, or stream it live on ThePapare.com and Dialog ViU app – perfect for those who prefer to follow the match from the comfort of their crease.

ThePapare’s stellar live coverage will shine a spotlight on over 40 school games across the island this season, bringing every six, wicket, and near-miss right to your fingertips.