Credit: @ChampionsLeague / X

How Much Prize Money Does a Champions League Winner Get? Prize Money Bracket Explored

Credit: @ChampionsLeague / X

The UEFA Champions League is not only Europe’s most prestigious club competition but also one of the most lucrative. Clubs competing in the tournament stand to earn substantial sums based on their performances. Champions League prize money has seen a significant boost this season, rising by nearly one-third following the tournament’s structural overhaul.

With the expansion from 32 to 36 teams, UEFA has increased the total prize pool to €2.06 billion, up from €1.74 billion under the previous format. But how much exactly does the winner take home? What do the runners-up get? And how does the prize structure break down across different stages?

Let’s take a closer look at the financial rewards awaiting clubs at each stage of the competition:

Each club that qualifies for the revamped Champions League is guaranteed a minimum payout of €15.7 million, regardless of their performance, even if they lose every match and exit at the league phase.

At the league phase of the UEFA Champions League, clubs are rewarded handsomely for their performances. Each victory nets a team €1.8 million, while a draw earns €590,000, adding significant incentive for every match played.

In addition, teams that finish in the top eight of the league phase, which guarantees direct progression to the Round of 16, receive a bonus payout of £1.7 million.

Each league phase position in the table carries a value of €275,000. As a result, the team finishing 36th, BSC Young Boys earned €275,000, with the value increasing incrementally per position. Liverpool topped the league stage table, resulting in a payout of €9.9 million for the newly-crowned Premier League champions.

💸💰📊 UEFA Champions League (unofficial) prize money rankings at the end of the league stage:

🔹 Liverpool's 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 defeat means they're just short of €100m
🔹 Inter 🇮🇹 the second one to breach €90m, Arsenal 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and Barcelona 🇪🇸 very close to it
🔹 Lille 🇫🇷 close to €80m, A.… pic.twitter.com/T3SBIinORu
— Football Meets Data (@fmeetsdata) January 30, 2025

How Much Does the UCL Winner Get?

The winner of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League will receive €21.1 million in prize money from UEFA purely for lifting the trophy. This figure does not include the cumulative earnings a team secures throughout the competition, which will bring their total reward well above €100 million, depending on their performance in the league phase and knockout rounds.

Also Read: Lamine Yamal Shines as Barcelona Battle Back Twice to Hold Inter in Six-Goal Thriller

What Does the Runner-Up Receive?

The team finishing second in the final will earn €20.5 million in prize money. Like the winner, this figure excludes the revenue accumulated through wins and draws during earlier rounds.

Semi-Finalists’ Prize Money

Clubs reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League receive €15 million each. This prize is awarded irrespective of whether the team advances to the final or not. Beyond the base semi-final amount, these clubs also receive accumulated league-phase earnings from wins/draws, knockout-stage wins, and coefficient-based bonuses.

Also Read: Which Are the Top 5 Fastest Goals in the Champions League History? Learn Where Marcus Thuram’s Fastest Goal in Champions League Semi-Final Ranks

UEFA rewards teams for winning each round of the knockout phase:

Round	Prize money
Knockout round playoffs	€1 million
Round of 16	€11 million
Quarterfinals	€12.5 million
Semifinals	€15 million
Runner-up	€15.6 million
Winner	€21.1 million

*1 million euros = 1.13 million U.S. dollars (as of 1st May, 2025)

Champions League

Abhinav Goel

soccer

I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.