By Karim Were
The 2026 World Cup has brought together some of football’s biggest coaching names, but success on the international stage does not always translate into the highest pay packet.
While Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti tops the tournament’s managerial earnings chart with a reported annual salary of £8.5 million, several coaches with fewer international achievements are earning significantly more than reigning world champions’ boss Lionel Scaloni.
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Ancelotti, appointed by Brazil in 2025, is the highest-paid manager at the World Cup and carries the responsibility of guiding the five-time champions to a record-extending sixth title. Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann ranks second on the list with an estimated £5.9 million salary, followed by United States coach Mauricio Pochettino on £5.1 million.
England manager Thomas Tuchel sits fourth, earning around £4.9 million per year as he attempts to end England’s decades-long wait for a major international trophy. Portugal’s Roberto Martinez and Uzbekistan’s Fabio Cannavaro complete the top five, both reportedly taking home £3.4 million annually.
However, one of the tournament’s most notable salary stories belongs to Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni. Despite leading his country to World Cup glory in 2022 and establishing Argentina as one of the world’s dominant football nations, Scaloni earns less than £2 million a year, placing him well outside the top earners.
His salary is reportedly lower than those of Canada manager Jesse Marsch, Mexico’s Javier Aguirre, Paraguay’s Gustavo Alfaro and Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui, all of whom earn approximately £2.1 million annually.
The figures highlight how managerial pay often reflects federation resources, market value and contract negotiations as much as on-field achievements.
At the opposite end of the scale, Scotland manager Steve Clarke earns around £500,000 a year, roughly one-tenth of Tuchel’s salary and a small fraction of Ancelotti’s earnings.
As the largest and most expensive World Cup in history unfolds, the salaries of the men on the touchline offer a fascinating reminder that football’s financial hierarchy does not always mirrorits competitive one.
