FC Barcelona are preparing to receive a financial compensation package close to €2 million from FIFA, following the knee injury sustained by midfielder Frenkie de Jong while on international duty with the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup.
De Jong suffered a severe injury to his right knee, with initial estimates suggesting he could be sidelined for up to four months. This comes as a massive blow to the Catalan club’s tactical plans ahead of the new season.
The Dutch midfielder had reportedly played through pain barriers against Tunisia and Morocco, relying on painkillers, before ultimately being unable to finish his final match, leaving the pitch in the 110th minute of extra time.
Barcelona are currently awaiting the definitive medical test results to determine the exact nature of the injury and the precise recovery timeline, as the duration of his absence will dictate the final payout from football’s governing body.
The compensation will be distributed through FIFA’s Club Protection Programme, which covers player injuries sustained during international duty. Payouts begin accumulating once a player has been sidelined for more than 28 consecutive days after their last international appearance.
Under this scheme, the club receives approximately €20,548 for each day the player remains unavailable until they officially return to training. The maximum compensation cap for a single injury is set at €7.5 million.
Should De Jong’s absence be confirmed until mid-November, Barcelona’s coffers would receive around €1.95 million. While this ease the financial burden partially, the club still faces the technical challenge of replacing one of their key midfield anchors on the pitch.
