2026 World Cup: Brazil’s Ancelotti Tops List of Highest-Paid Coaches [Top Ten]

National football federations are spending heavily in pursuit of World Cup glory, with Carlo Ancelotti emerging as the highest-paid coach at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Salary figures compiled ahead of the tournament show the Brazil manager earns £8.28 million annually, placing him comfortably ahead of his rivals.

The former Real Madrid boss was handed one of the most prestigious jobs in international football and is expected to lead Brazil’s push for a record-extending sixth World Cup title.

England manager Thomas Tuchel is second on the list with an annual salary of £5.06 million. The German was appointed by the Football Association following England’s near misses under Gareth Southgate and has been tasked with delivering the major trophy that has eluded the country for decades.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino ranks third with yearly earnings of £4.53 million. The former Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager is leading preparations for the host nation’s campaign.

Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann sits fourth on £4.2 million per year, while Portugal coach Roberto Martinez and Uzbekistan boss Fabio Cannavaro share fifth place with annual salaries of £3.5 million.

Cannavaro’s presence among the competition’s highest earners has attracted attention given Uzbekistan’s status as one of the tournament’s lesser-known football nations. The former Italy captain took charge after the Central Asian country secured qualification for its first World Cup appearance.

France manager Didier Deschamps, who guided his country to World Cup success in 2018, earns £3.31 million annually and occupies seventh place.

World Cup-winning Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, Uruguay’s Marcelo Bielsa and Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman complete the top 10, with each taking home £2.61 million per year.

According to figures published by Planet Football on Thursday, the highest-paid coaches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup are:

1. Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil) – £8.28m

2. Thomas Tuchel (England) – £5.06m

3. Mauricio Pochettino (USA) – £4.53m

4. Julian Nagelsmann (Germany) – £4.20m

5. Roberto Martinez (Portugal) – £3.50m

6. Fabio Cannavaro (Uzbekistan) – £3.50m

7. Didier Deschamps (France) – £3.31m

8. Lionel Scaloni (Argentina) – £2.61m

9. Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay) – £2.61m

10. Ronald Koeman (Netherlands) – £2.61m