Credit: Carlos Barria-Reuters via Imagn Images

Not Chelsea But This Team Has Benefitted the Most from the FIFA Club World Cup Prize Money!

This Underdog Team Has Seen 676% Revenue Boost in FIFA’s $1Bn Tournament.

Credit: Carlos Barria-Reuters via Imagn Images

The FIFA Club World Cup’s expanded format and massive $1 billion prize pot were designed to reward elite football clubs. However, it is New Zealand’s part-time side Auckland City that has arguably benefitted the most in this tournament considering their size.

The competitors were awarded $525 million as participation fees and $475 million on a performance basis to 32 clubs from around the world. This year’s winners Chelsea pocketed a staggering $115 million and Paris Saint-Germain earned $107 million as runners-up.

Chelsea earned about £84m after lifting the Club World Cup while PSG made about £78.4m in their run to the final.

Auckland City earned the least amount – £3.3m but that's nearly seven times their annual revenue. [BBC SPORT]pic.twitter.com/CCH0HCtlMX
— Kyama ⚽ (@ElijahKyama_) July 13, 2025

However, Auckland City’s comparatively modest payout of €4.6 million (approximately £3.3 million) has caught the eye. According to BBC Sport, this sum is nearly seven times the club’s annual revenue of £488,000 in 2024.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire noted, “They have earned so much money that it’s difficult to see anybody being able to compete with them if they invest in the playing squad. It’s good for them, but it’s not necessarily good for the league.”

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European Giants Cash In, But Bigger Impact for Smaller Teams

For Europe’s top sides, the prize money was significant but it was proportionate to their massive budgets. Chelsea’s £84 million earnings cover roughly 39% of their 2025-26 transfer spending. Especially with the likes of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap already funded.

Paris Saint-Germain’s £78.4 million and Real Madrid’s €83 million also added substantial revenue. However, these figures represent only a small fraction of their annual incomes. Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City made some earlier exits.

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Even so, they earned €52 million each. That is enough to offset major signings such as Dortmund’s £27 million outlay for Jobe Bellingham and City’s £31 million deal for Rayan Aït-Nouri. The tournament’s participation fees varied by continent as well.

European teams earned between $12.81 million and $38.19 million just for showing up. Meanwhile, South American clubs received $15.21 million, and Oceania’s lone representative, Auckland City, earned $3.58 million for participation.

Financial Disparity Raises Questions

Though Auckland City’s payout pales in comparison to the sums earned by European giants. However, it’s a game-changer for a semi-professional outfit. Even so, Maguire warns that this financial boost could disrupt competitive balance in New Zealand’s domestic league if Auckland City reinvest heavily in their squad.

Auckland City

Chelsea

Club World Cup

Moumita Dutta

soccer

Football writer at The Playoffs. I’ve been obsessed with the beautiful game since I was a kid.. Eventually, I realized I could combine my passion for writing with my love for football, and I’ve never looked back. My favorite part of the job is everything—when you’re doing what you love, even a late-night deadline feels like extra time in a thrilling cup final. Lastly, Lionel Messi is the GOAT.