UEFA Champions League Prize Money: How Winners Can Earn €69.8m Explained

We break down the UEFA Champions League prize money to explain how it is the most lucrative club soccer tournament in the world.
UEFA Champions League Prize Money: How Winners Can Earn €69.8m Explained
UEFA Champions League Prize Money: How Winners Can Earn €69.8m Explained /

The UEFA Champions League is the most lucrative club soccer tournament in the world.

Champions League prize money is one of the main reasons that the Premier League's top four places have become so coveted in recent seasons.

Simply reaching the group stage will earn a club €15.64 million, but that is just the beginning.

Each victory in the group stage is worth €2.8m, meaning there is a total of €16.8m to play for across the six games.

Then add in a prize of €9.9m for any team who finishes in the top two places in their group of four to reach the last 16.

Prize money is accumulated in each round. For example, the €9.9m a team earns for reaching the last 16 is not replaced by the €10.6m they get for making the quarter-finals. They are added together.

As such, were a team to start their campaign in the group stage, they could take home €69.8m if they won every group game and then went on to lift the trophy.

The figures below break down the Champions League prize money for each round reached.

Round

Prize money

Reaching 1st qualifying round

€300,000

Reaching 2nd qualifying round

€400,000

Reaching 3rd qualifying round

€500,000

Reaching group stage

€15.64m

Winning a group stage game

€2.8m

Drawing a group stage game

€930,000

Reaching last 16

€9.9m

Reaching quarter-finals

€10.6m

Reaching semi-finals

€12.5m

Losing in final

€15.5m

Winning in final

€20m

In addition to these figures, clubs earn extra revenue from television deals based on how far their progress in the tournament.

Combining TV fees and prize money, the winner of the Champions League can expect to earn more than €85m.

The UEFA Champions League trophy is pictured on display at the group stage draw ceremony in August 2019
The team who conquers Europe will take home this trophy plus a huge amount in UEFA Champions League prize money :: IMAGO/Mandoga Media

Published
Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.