Champions League final 2026 prize money: How much could Arsenal and PSG earn?
The prize money on offer for winning Europe’s biggest club competition is a major added incentive, even for Europe’s richest clubs
On Saturday evening, Arsenal and PSG, the champions of England and France will face off in the battle for the ultimate glory, the chance to lift Europe’s premier club competition and the chance to be crowned European champions.
The Champions League has undergone various facelifts since its inaugural campaign in 1955/56 but it remains the most important trophy for any club in Europe, the pinnacle of football on the continent. These days, of course, it isn’t just about glory, there is a very important financial incentive to succeeding in the competition.
For clubs from less wealthy leagues, merely qualifying for the Champions League can be a game changer, but even for the elite clubs who aspire to lift the trophy, the prize money on offer is not to be sniffed at. On Saturday, fans will only care about the trophy, but club bosses will already be calculating how the result impacts planning for next season.
How much is winning the Champions League worth?
The winners of the Champions League final will receive €25m in prize money, but that is far from the full story. That sum is in addition to the prize money already accumulated through participation and results in the previous rounds of the competition.
Last season, for example, PSG banked a total of €83.1m (£72m) for going all the way and winning the competition. This year, the total could slightly different as prize money is linked to results and finishing positions in earlier rounds.
In fact, given that Arsenal won all eight of their group games, they would surpass PSG’s total from last year if they are victorious on Saturday. The Gunners stand to bank a total of almost €90m (£78m).
How much do the Champions League runners-up get?
Even the runners-up are set for a major bonus payment to round off a memorable season. The runners-up in the Champions League final receive €18.5m in additional prize money. That means that they could have amassed a similar total to the winners, depending on their exact path to the final.
While that may be little consolation in the heat of the moment, the prize money for going deep in the competition is significant enough to be meaningful to even mega-rich clubs like those usually involved.
How is Champions League prize money calculated?
Champions League prize money is a complicated mechanism that involves various aspects. In addition to prize money, clubs receive so-called “value pillar” payments that are linked to TV markets and association coefficients, which means clubs from more valuable markets can earn more money, but may have to split it with other participants from their nations.
If we focus on prize money, UEFA has a prize pot of around €2.47bn for the current season. Prize money is allocated for participation in each round and there are additional bonuses for wins and draws in the league phase and overall finish in the league phase.
