Tottenham managed to survive the drop on the final day of EPL 2025-26.
Tottenham Hotspur don’t have players heading to this year’s World Cup in the United States, and a lot of that is down to the underwhelming season that the Lilywhites have had in the recently concluded campaign.
Vuskovic is heading to the US for the World Cup
But there is still a huge upside in the players that are going, and this is where Tottenham are in line to get that FIFA compensation payment with Luka Vuskovic heading to the World Cup this summer.
While he spent that 2025/26 season on loan away in the Bundesliga with Hamburger, according to the recent report from Hamburger Abendblatt, the financial mechanics of his contract situation mean that the Lilywhites will directly benefit from every day that Croatia stays alive in the tournament.
Vuskovic is one of the Lilywhites players who would be going to the World Cup, and FIFA pays about $11,000 per day to the club for every player that is released for international duty. And the money here is given to clubs based on where the player was under contract at different stages of his career.
How the Luka Vuskovic World Cup will earn Tottenham money
The FIFA compensation formula splits the daily payment into three equal portions, with one third going to the club where the player is under contract during the tournament itself. One third going to the club where he was playing in the 2025/26 season, while the final third covers where he played in 2024/25.
Vuskovic’s loan at HSV expires at the end of June, meaning he officially returns to Tottenham on July 1. Since the World Cup runs through July, Tottenham have him on contract at Hotspur Way when FIFA is played, which is why Tottenham will be entitled to get a share of that daily compensation payment alongside HSV (where he played in the recently concluded campaign).
His 2024-25 loan at KVC Westerlo means the third portion of the payment from FIFA will go to KVC Westerlo. Hajduk Split will also likely get something for their role in his development. But while that whole situation is complicated, a portion of the money is guaranteed to go to Tottenham, no matter if he stays or leaves this summer.
His exit does look unlikely at the time of writing, especially given how he could have a go to get some regular minutes in the first team with Micky van de Ven linked with a move away from N17.