UEFA has officially confirmed the prize distribution for the 2025/26 Champions League, unveiling a record-breaking pool that highlights why the competition continues to be the most lucrative in world football.
With the expanded league phase debuting this season, 36 clubs will benefit from fixed participation fees and performance-based bonuses.
Guaranteed Payments and Match Rewards
Each of the 36 clubs reaching the league phase will receive a guaranteed €18.62 million.
Performance in the league stage brings additional incentives, with €2.1 million awarded per win and €700,000 for a draw.
From there, the rewards increase significantly in the knockout stages.
Clubs advancing to the playoff round before the last 16 will collect €1 million, while those reaching the round of 16 secure €11 million.
Quarterfinal qualification adds another €12.5 million, semifinalists earn €15 million, and reaching the final at Budapest’s Puskás Aréna on May 30, 2026, guarantees €18.5 million.
The eventual winner will pocket an extra €6.5 million.
Read also: Who has the most UEFA Champions League titles?
Ranking Bonuses and Additional Distribution in Champions League
UEFA has also introduced a ranking bonus system tied to club coefficients.
Each place in the ranking is valued at €275,000, meaning the lowest-ranked team earns that amount while the highest-ranked side could secure up to €9.9 million on top of their fixed earnings.
In addition, €30 million is allocated to clubs that participated in qualifying rounds.
Even those eliminated before the league phase will not leave empty-handed, as they will receive €4.29 million in compensation.
Overall, UEFA will distribute €3.317 billion across its club competitions this season.
The Champions League and UEFA Super Cup take the lion’s share with €2.467 billion (74.38%), while €565 million (17.02%) goes to the Europa League and €285 million (8.60%) to the Europa Conference League.
This financial framework underlines the Champions League’s dual identity: not only Europe’s most prestigious sporting competition but also the driving financial engine of continental football.
