The Champions League just got even more lucrative. With the revamped format in 2025/26, clubs stand to make serious revenue; even just for showing up. Here’s the breakdown of the new prize money system and what different stages mean in cash.
What’s New and Key Figures
- Every club that reaches the league phase (36 clubs total) is guaranteed €18.62 million just for participating.
- Wins in the league phase are worth €2.1 million each. Draws bring in €700,000.
- Finishing in the top-8 of the league phase grants additional bonus payments.
Prize Money by Stage
Here’s a look at what clubs will earn as they advance:
| Stage | Prize Money (€) |
|---|---|
| League Phase Participation | €18.62 million |
| Each Win (League Phase) | €2.1 million |
| Each Draw (League Phase) | €700,000 |
| Round of 16 | €11 million |
| Quarter-Finals | €12.5 million |
| Semi-Finals | €15 million |
| Finalists | €18.5 million |
| Winner | Additional €6.5 million on top of finalist amount |
Why This Matters
- Even clubs that don’t win all their matches are still guaranteed a huge sum just for being in the league phase. That helps even mid-tier and smaller clubs financially.
- Performance matters a lot because wins, draws, and ranking in the league phase can significantly increase what a club takes home.
- The new format (with 36 teams and more league-phase matches) gives more teams a chance at making good money, even if they don’t go deep into knockouts.
Big Earners and Past Benchmarks
Looking back at the 2024/25 season helps show just how lucrative this gets:
- PSG topped the earnings chart with €148.42 million, combining performance bonuses and market pool.
- Other clubs that cleared the €100 million mark included Inter Milan (~€136.63m), Arsenal (~€117m), FC Barcelona (~€116.56m), Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Real Madrid.
Takeaway
The Champions League remains the gold standard for both prestige and profit. For the 2025/26 season, every club in the group (league) phase is guaranteed a minimum windfall (~€18.62 million), with substantial bonuses for wins, draws, and knockout progressions. The big clubs are likely to surpass €100 million over the full campaign when market and coefficient bonuses are added.
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