Doncaster Rovers net surprise Qatar World Cup windfall through FIFA’s Club Benefit Programme

The payment is part of FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme, which aims to share the billion-dollar tournament’s financial benefits and recognise the contributions of clubs globally to its success.

Doncaster will receive the equivalent of more than £23,600 from football’s highest governing body after two of its former loan players, Seny Dieng and Matthew Smith, represented Senegal and Wales respectively at the tournament.

The money is shared between each players’ club at the time he was released for the World Cup and his previous clubs in the two years prior to the competition, which covers the qualification period.

Goalkeeper Dieng played 32 times for Rovers while on loan from QPR during the 2019/20 season.

Smith, a midfielder, made 43 appearances on loan from Man City the following year.

“The FIFA Club Benefits Programme is a clear example of how the FIFA World Cup has a positive impact on club football across the world,” said FIFA president, Gianni Infantino.

"Club football plays a key role within the football ecosystem and the FIFA Club Benefits Programme provides us with an excellent opportunity to support clubs."

Rovers will receive a total of $31,026.

In a report issued today, FIFA said they would distribute $209 million (£159 million) to 440 clubs, which covers the 837 footballers called up by their nations.

Clubs will be paid $10,950 (£8,359) per player daily, regardless of how many minutes they played at the competition.

Neither Dieng nor Smith played a single minute at the World Cup, but both players featured as substitutes.

The amount teams received was worked out by the number of days each player spent at the World Cup, starting from the day they were released for international duty and ending the day after their final match.

Wales exited the tournament at the group stage, while Senegal made the last 16.

English clubs have been awarded the most compensation from the 2022 World Cup, banking a total of $37.7 million (£28.7 million).

Other lower league clubs in England who will receive money include Lincoln City, Wigan Athletic and fifth-tier Boreham Wood.

Doncaster will also receive a reported 20 per cent of the six-figure sum Charlton Athletic paid Cheltenham Town for Alfie May.