Birmingham City is set to receive more than £158,000 from FIFA's Club Benefit Programme for midfielder Paik Seung-ho's participation in the 2024 FIFA World Cup. Paik played all three group-stage matches for South Korea, who narrowly missed out on a place in the knockout rounds after defeating Czechia but losing to Mexico and South Africa.
Paik's World Cup Journey
South Korea impressed in their opening group game against Czechia, with Paik playing a key role in the victory. However, subsequent losses to Mexico and South Africa saw them pipped to one of the eight knockout spots reserved for third-placed teams. Following the tournament, South Korea manager Hong Myung-bo stepped down, and an inquest into the team's struggles has begun.
Injury and Recovery
Paik has been granted extra time off to recover from the World Cup. The midfielder requires shoulder surgery, which would sideline him for two to three months. It remains unclear whether he will undergo the procedure this year or delay it.
FIFA Club Benefit Programme Compensation
Blues will be compensated for Paik's absence through the FIFA Club Benefit Programme, which allocates funds to clubs for their players' participation in the tournament. Of the $355 million total club compensation pot, $250 million (£187 million) is dedicated to the tournament itself, with the remainder reserved for qualifying campaigns. Clubs receive a fee of $5,000 per day for each player at the World Cup, starting from the official release date to the day after their country's final match. FIFA's mandatory release date was May 25, and South Korea's final game was on June 25, meaning Paik's participation spanned 33 days (including June 26).
Payment Breakdown
Blues are entitled to $165,000 (£123,000) for Paik's World Cup involvement. Additionally, they will be compensated for releasing players for qualifiers. For qualifying matches, clubs earn $2,362 (£1,765) per match for each player selected. Birmingham City had five players—Paik, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Demarai Gray, Willum Willumsson, and Lyndon Dykes—called up for World Cup qualifiers last season. Paik and Dykes featured in six qualifiers each, Osayi-Samuel in four, and Gray and Willumsson in two apiece. This brings an additional $47,240 (£35,300) from qualifiers, totaling an estimated £158,300.
