The FIFA World Cup 2026 is officially underway – running from 11 June to 19 July – and the nation is already deep in the grip of football fever. England will play three games in Group L, against Croatia, Ghana and Panama, with Thomas Tuchel’s boys hopefully smashing their way through to the first-ever round of 32.
But there’s so much more to football than the game itself – with plenty of player shifts happening behind the scenes. The Premier League summer transfer window is now officially open, and while players are away, their clubs are already making plans for new signings. How to secure the best players? By writing incredible benefits into their contracts (or making it almost impossible for another club to buy them), of course – and there’s a lesson in there for any HR professional managing talent and retention.
Here, Beecham Peacock Solicitors in Newcastle takes a look at some of the most bizarre football contract clauses in existence, actually signed by players likely to be on the pitch or potentially watching from the stands during the World Cup 2026…
1. Lionel Messi: The Catalonia clause
On the pitch for Argentina at a record sixth World Cup this year, the football legend signed a contract with Barcelona in 2017 that required him to go above and beyond. Messi agreed to fully engage and reintegrate with local Catalonian culture, even going as far as learning the language as a true symbol of the club’s identity!
Messi signed the contract, but with the caveat that he could become a free agent if Catalonia was to become independent at any point.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo: The €1bn release clause
A release clause isn’t unusual, but one that states such an astronomical value certainly is! Joining Messi at a sixth World Cup for Portugal, Ronaldo is one of the best-known players in the game. However, his €1bn release clause, written into his Real Madrid contract, was “not there to be paid” according to the club’s president, Florentino Pérez.
They knew no club would ever be able to afford such an insane amount for a single player – it was a deterrent against losing their beloved Ronaldo and nothing more. When his time with the team eventually came to an end in 2018, the release clause dropped to a much lower (although still impressive) €120m.
3. Neymar: The fortnightly friends visit clause
When Barcelona first signed a young Neymar back in 2013, they were concerned about the top athlete feeling homesick for Brazil. In order to keep the player happy, the club agreed to fly a group of his friends (known as ‘The TOISS’) to Spain every single fortnight – all paid for by the club.
Unfortunately, Brazil could be facing the World Cup without their star, thanks to a nasty calf injury. Doctors have ruled him out for at least two weeks, meaning he could miss the whole of the all-important group stage.
4. Ronaldinho: The nightclub clause
A crazy demand by Brazil legend, Ronaldinho, was honoured by Flamengo in 2011. Known for his love of a good night out, Ronaldinho had just finished a three-season contract with AC Milan at the time and had no intention of giving up his party lifestyle.
Despite the fact he faced widespread criticism for his wild lifestyle, Ronaldinho had it written into his contract that he could enjoy parties twice a week. Now retired, Ronaldinho reunited with another Brazilian football star, Ronaldo, at the World Cup’s opening game, sending fans into a frenzy!
5. Stefan Schwarz: The space ban clause
In one of the most off-the-wall football contract clauses in history, Schwarz’s stint with Sunderland saw the player banned from any form of space travel! After the star expressed an interest in space travel, an addendum was added to his contract, explicitly banning him from travelling outside of the Earth’s atmosphere.
The club was worried that, if Schwarz took a trip to space, they might lose their valuable player! Currently enjoying the World Cup from the stands, Schwarz is definitely enjoying his retirement the right way.
6. Keisuke Honda: The armoured car clause
When he found out he would be playing the beautiful game in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – often referred to as the murder capital of the world (even though this is not strictly true) – Honda requested an armoured car to travel in. The Japan legend only agreed to sign his contract with Brazilian side Botafogo when they promised him this level of protection.
Considering the fact that Rio has a rate of 17.1 homicides for every 100,000 people – a statistic which has dropped significantly in recent years, compared to when Honda was playing – we understand his concern. You’ll find Honda currently enjoying the World Cup as a commentator for Japanese TV, where his heart-on-sleeve approach to commentary has caused quite the stir on social media!
7. Giuseppe “Billy” Reina: The (Lego) house clause
When he joined Arminia Bielefeld, striker Billy Reina made the incredible request that the club build him a new house for every single year he stayed with the team. However, Reina made the rookie mistake of failing to specify what size or type of house he wanted.
After his first season with the club, they proudly presented him with his first ‘house’…made out of Lego. This happened twice more before, furious, the football star tried to sue the club, eventually settling out of court for what was believed to be a cash payout. Although Reina isn’t officially confirmed as attending this year’s World Cup, he does sometimes pop up pitch-side to watch games.
8. Dennis Bergkamp: The no-fly clause
Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp became known as The Non-Flying Dutchman when a no-fly clause was added to his contract. The Netherlands-born player reportedly had a fear of flying so severe that he missed multiple away matches that took place in Europe.
Bergkamp gave up £100k of his own wages to have the clause added to his contract, so determined was he never to set foot in a plane again. He famously commented: “In talks with Arsenal, if I said ‘a million’ they automatically deducted a hundred grand ‘because you don’t fly’. And I accepted that.”
Although there are no current reports of the football star attending this year’s World Cup, FIFA has been reliving his incredible last-minute goal against Argentina, when he played for the Netherlands in 1998, during its official countdown to kick off.
9. Neil “Razor” Ruddock: The weight penalty clause
Neil “Razor” Ruddock joined Crystal Palace back in 2000. The chairman of the club at the time, concerned that Ruddock weighed beyond the recommended 99.8kg, genuinely added a weight penalty clause to the centre-back’s contract.
The clause imposed a 10% pay cut on Ruddock every time he went over the recommended weight – a penalty he ended up paying no fewer than eight times during his time with the club! Ruddock won’t be at the World Cup itself, but he will be speaking at the IPAF Elevation UK 2026 event, chatting all things football and offering live commentary.
10. Spencer Prior: The sheep ‘liaison’ clause
Jaws dropped when it was confirmed that Spencer Prior’s Cardiff City contract included a stipulation that the football star must eat sheep’s testicles and brain, as well as a raw liver. Most controversially though, the contract also stated that Prior must have ‘a physical liaison with a sheep’.
Although it caused a media sensation at the time, the ‘liaison’ in question turned out to simply be a polite pat of a sheep by Prior – the whole thing was later revealed as a tongue-in-cheek joke, set up by the club. The unusual cuisine choices, however, were genuine additions and Prior really did eat sheep’s testicles.
Although not confirmed as a spectator at the World Cup 2026, you never know! Prior is still very much involved in the world of football, coaching teams in both Thailand and Australia.
So, keep your eyes peeled and you might spot some of these players at the World Cup matches! Had you heard of any of these bizarre clauses before?
Photo by Haim Charbit on Unsplash