World Cup 2026’s best-paid managers with Tuchel behind coach on £8.5m | Football | Sport
The 2026 World Cup represents the largest tournament ever held across the competition’s distinguished 96-year existence – and it is also the most costly. From the expense of hosting the spectacle to the price supporters must pay for tickets, the sums involved are enormous.
The same trend can be seen among the managers patrolling the touchline, with a number of them receiving huge salaries. Considering the calibre of internationally renowned coaches in charge of teams this summer, that is hardly a surprise. England boss Thomas Tuchel is one of the highest-paid managers taking part in the tournament. However, he does not top the earnings table.
That distinction belongs to Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is reported to earn £8.5 illion annually. Hired in 2025, the iconic Italian is arguably the most recognisable managerial figure at this World Cup and has been entrusted with guiding Brazil to a long-awaited sixth world title.
Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann occupies second place, with reports suggesting he earns around £5.9m per year. At only 38, Nagelsmann is also the youngest coach at the finals. In contrast, there is a striking 40-year age gap between him and the tournament’s oldest manager, Curacao’s Dick Advocaat.
USA manager Mauricio Pochettino ranks third, collecting an estimated £5.1m each year. The Argentine was appointed head coach of the USMNT in 2024 shortly after leaving Chelsea.
Tuchel – another former Chelsea boss and the third ex-Blues manager to feature in the top four – sits just behind him on £4.9m. The England manager has been given the formidable task of ending the country’s 60-year drought without a major international trophy in a job often described as the most demanding role in international football.
Completing the top five are Portugal’s Roberto Martinez and Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, both of whom reportedly receive around £3.4m per season. France manager Didier Deschamps comes next on £3.3m, while Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman and Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa are each believed to earn £2.6m annually.
One of the more unexpected names on the list is Lionel Scaloni. Despite leading Argentina to World Cup success in 2022, he sits only 14th in the salary rankings, earning just under £2m a year.
As a result, Scaloni reportedly earns less than Canada’s Jesse Marsch, Mexico’s Javier Aguirre, Paraguay’s Gustavo Alfaro and Qatar manager Julen Lopetegui, all of whom are said to receive approximately £2.1m annually.
Meanwhile, Scotland manager Steve Clarke is believed to earn around £500,000 per year – roughly one-tenth of Tuchel’s salary and only a small fraction of what Ancelotti receives at the top of the standings.
