Sunderland make money on Bailey Wright despite defender not playing for Australia against France

Sunderland are one of many clubs to benefit financially from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar this winter with £189million set aside for clubs with representatives at the upcoming tournament.

Wright, 30, joined the Black Cats on an initial loan deal during the 2019-20 season in League One and has since made 100 appearances in red and white across all competitions.

And despite not playing against France, Wright still earned Sunderland money. For every day a player remains with their national team during the World Cup break, the clubs they are contracted to will be given around £9,000 per player.

The payments started from the day the player joins up with their national team and will end when the nation plays its final game of the tournament.

However, clubs will only receive the full payout for players who were signed at least two years before the start of the tournament. For players that have signed for a club within the last two years, the payment will be shared proportionally.

Another player set to benefit Sunderland is Jewison Bennette. The Costa Rica winger joined the club in 2022, which means Sunderland will have to share the £9,000 per-player-per-day payout with Herediano. The Black Cats will, however, pocket the full amount from Wright’s trip.

If any Sunderland player were to reach the semi-finals of the tournament, the club would be entitled to a share of around £300,000 per player.