Gor Mahia FC is set to reap significant financial rewards from FIFA’s newly enhanced Club Benefits Programme (CBP), thanks to the participation of six of its players in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
According to the club, the development marks a milestone not only for the club’s players and their respective national teams, but also for the financial health of the club, which has long struggled with sustainability despite its domestic dominance.
Under FIFA’s CBP, clubs that release players for international duty receive monetary compensation as recognition of their role in player development and their willingness to support national teams.
The programme was first introduced ahead of the 2010 World Cup and has grown in scale with each tournament. For the 2026 edition, FIFA announced a record $355 million payout to be distributed among clubs worldwide, a substantial increase from the $209 million set aside during the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
For Gor Mahia, this means that every day one of their players spends with a national team during the official World Cup period, including preparation, tournament matches, and recovery, will translate into direct financial compensation from FIFA. With six players already featuring prominently in the qualifiers, the club is well-positioned to tap into this enlarged revenue stream.
Gor Mahia’s participation in the CBP highlights the broader implications for Kenyan football. The financial injections could be used to strengthen club infrastructure, improve player welfare, and reduce the recurrent challenge of unpaid wages that has occasionally threatened player morale and performance.
The six Gor Mahia players, in the qualifiers, are not only ambassadors of their club but also symbols of the quality the Kenyan Premier League can produce. Their selection by national coaches underlines Gor Mahia’s contribution to the growth of East African football talent.
This benefit is designed to acknowledge this very contribution. By compensating clubs directly, the programme aims to balance the benefits between international success and grassroots development.
Clubs that consistently supply talent to national squads are among the biggest beneficiaries, reinforcing their status as key stakeholders in the global football ecosystem.
FIFA’s decision to expand the programme stems from growing calls to ensure fair financial distribution across all levels of the sport.
Traditionally, European clubs, which supply the majority of players to international competitions, have received the largest payouts. However, with Africa, Asia, and South America supplying an increasing number of World Cup players, clubs from these regions now stand to gain more.
