The financial breakdown for the UEFA Champions League is a complex and detailed process, especially with the new format introduced in the 2024/2025 season. The revenue distribution model is designed to reward clubs for their participation, performance, and historical success, while also factoring in the value they bring to the competition through broadcasting.1
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the financial structure for the UEFA Champions League.
Total Revenue and Distribution
UEFA’s total gross revenue for the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League is estimated at around €4.4 billion.2 A significant portion of this is allocated to the clubs participating in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, with the largest share going to the Champions League. The total amount available for distribution to participating clubs in the Champions League and UEFA Super Cup is approximately €2.467 billion.
This total prize money is divided into three main pillars.
- Equal Shares (Starting Fee): 27.5% of the total pot.4 This is a guaranteed payment for all clubs that qualify for the league phase.5
- Performance-Related Fixed Amounts: 37.5% of the total pot.6 This is based on a club’s results in the competition.
- Value Pillar: 35% of the total pot. This is a new pillar that combines the old market pool and coefficient ranking payments.
Breakdown by Stage and Pillar
1. Equal Shares (Starting Fee)
Each of the 36 clubs that qualify for the league phase of the UEFA Champions League receives a guaranteed starting fee of €18.62 million.7 This is a baseline payment that every team earns just for competing.
2. Performance-Related Fixed Amounts
This portion of the prize money is earned based on a club’s performance throughout the tournament.8
League Phase:
- Win: €2.1 million per victory.9
- Draw: €700,000 per draw.10
- The money from draws is not all paid out immediately. The remaining amount from drawn games is pooled and redistributed to clubs based on their number of wins.11
- League Ranking Bonus: This is a new bonus based on a team’s final ranking in the 36-team league phase.12 The total amount is divided into 666 shares, with each share initially valued at €275,000.13 The team that finishes 36th gets one share, the 35th team gets two, and so on, with the top-ranked team receiving 36 shares.14 The undistributed money from drawn games is added to this pot, increasing the value of each share.15
- Placement Bonus:
- Teams finishing 1st to 8th in the league phase receive an additional €2 million.
- Teams finishing 9th to 16th receive an additional €1 million.
Knockout Stages:
- Knockout Round Play-off: Teams qualifying for this stage receive €1 million each.16
- Round of 16: €11 million per club.17
- Quarterfinals: €12.5 million per club.18
- Semifinals: €15 million per club.19
- Finalists: Both teams reaching the final receive €18.5 million each.20
- Winner: The Champions League winner receives an additional €25 million bonus.21
3. Value Pillar
The value pillar accounts for a significant 35% of the total prize money.22 This is a combination of two elements that were previously separate:
- 10-Year UEFA Coefficient Ranking: This is a payment based on a club’s historical performance in European competitions over the last 10 years.23 Clubs with a strong track record receive more money.24 The pot for this is split into 666 shares, with the lowest-ranked team receiving one share and the highest-ranked team receiving 36 shares.25
- TV Market Pool: This portion is distributed based on the proportional value of each TV market.26 Essentially, clubs from countries with more lucrative broadcast deals (like England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France) receive a larger share of this money. The amount is split among the clubs from a given association based on their performance in the previous domestic season and the number of matches they play in the current Champions League.
Robust Insight and Example
To provide a comprehensive insight, let’s consider a club’s potential total earnings. A club’s final total will be the sum of its earnings from all three pillars.
For example, a team that has a “perfect” run to the final, winning all of their league phase matches, would earn a significant amount. Let’s break down the potential earnings for the winning team:
- Starting Fee: €18.62 million27
- League Phase Performance:
- Eight wins: 8 x €2.1 million = €16.8 million28
- Eight wins: 8 x €2.1 million = €16.8 million28
- League Ranking Bonus:
- If they finish 1st in the league phase:
- A significant portion of the league ranking bonus, potentially €9.9 million (36 shares x €275,000).29
- Knockout Stage Payouts:
- Qualifying for the Round of 16: €11 million30
- Qualifying for the Quarterfinals: €12.5 million
- Qualifying for the Semifinals: €15 million
- Reaching the Final: €18.5 million
- Qualifying for the Round of 16: €11 million30
- Winner’s Bonus: €25 million31
- Value Pillar: This is highly variable, but for a major club from a top league, it could be substantial, potentially €30-40 million or more, depending on their coefficient ranking and domestic market.
A club with a perfect run and a high-value pillar could potentially earn well over €150 million or even close to €200 million in a single season.32
In summary, the new financial model for the UEFA Champions League is designed to ensure a more equitable distribution while still heavily rewarding on-field success and commercial value. The introduction of the “Value Pillar” and the changes to the performance-based bonuses reflect a strategic move by UEFA to consolidate different revenue streams and provide greater financial stability and incentives for clubs to compete at the highest level.
