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Fortune
Fortune
Joshua Hong

Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”

Lamine Yamal of the Spanish National Team poses with the FIFA World Cup trophy following Spain's victory in the World Cup Final. (Credit: Photo by Alex Pantling - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Spain’s victory over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final not only secured the country’s first men’s World Cup title in more than a decade—it also came with a $50 million prize from FIFA. While the trophy now sits in Madrid, a portion of the prize money could ultimately find its way to Washington. That’s because many of the players, coaching staff and referees who earned income during the tournament may have also incurred U.S. tax obligations.

It doesn’t stop there: the Spanish players will also have tax implications back home. According to RCM Legal, 17 of the 26 Spanish national players will be obligated to pay taxes to the European nation.

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