Norway could earn 80 million kroner from England match, but fund distribution remains unclear

A victory against England could net the Norwegian national football team an additional 80 million kroner, significantly boosting the Norwegian Football Federation's (NFF) World Cup earnings. This potential win comes on top of the 225 million kroner already guaranteed from the team's success in the tournament so far.

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It is a democratic problem that the distribution mechanisms are not clarified before we qualified. It will be, as expected, a solid surplus that belongs to all of Norwegian football, but no discussion has been held in our own bodies on how this should be resolved in principle.

While FIFA payouts are substantial, the NFF anticipates that around 40% of the total earnings will be allocated to taxes and player bonuses. Additionally, expenses related to supporting a nearly 60-person delegation in the United States will be deducted. Despite these deductions, the remaining sum represents a considerable financial windfall for Norwegian football.

However, the allocation of these funds remains undecided. The NFF's congress, where clubs and districts vote on proposals, is not scheduled to address the distribution mechanism until next year. Daniel Holmeide Strand, general manager of Skeid, criticized this delay, calling it a "democratic problem." He stressed that the surplus belongs to all of Norwegian football, yet no principled discussion has occurred within the federation's bodies.

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There is a significant bill for participation, which is largely impossible to influence, followed by a surplus that is currently 'orphan money' until the federation congress in 2027. Much will likely go to various initiatives before we get there. But still, the governance principles are lacking, likely due to little institutional experience with a World Cup.

Strand urged the NFF to learn from this situation, anticipating future successes for the national team. He advocated for establishing clear principles for returns and distribution mechanisms before qualification, ensuring that such discussions discipline both the federation's board and administration to prioritize sports development while securing benefits for domestic purposes. The NFF's finance director, Kai Erik Arstad, noted that the World Cup budget was discussed at the March congress, with decisions on fund allocation pending.

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Then one must have a healthy discussion, clear principles for returns and distribution mechanisms so that this discussion is concluded before one qualifies – and thus disciplines both the federation board and their administration to put enough effort into sports, but also ensure returns for the purpose here at home.