2.4 billion euros prize for clubs participating in the UEFA Champions League

UEFA will distribute approximately €2.4 billion ($2.8 billion) to clubs participating in the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League, including a participation bonus of just over €18 million for each of the 36 teams in the unified league phase, according to documents published by the continental governing body this summer. Clubs eliminated in the summer play-off round and transferred to the UEFA Europa League will receive a bonus of €4.2 million. The second-tier European competition is considerably less lucrative, with total allocations not exceeding €565 million. For clubs competing in the Champions League, UEFA also employs a performance-based bonus structure. Teams earn €2.1 million for each match won and €700,000 for a draw. Cumulative bonuses are awarded according to the stage reached in the tournament: €11 million for reaching the round of 16, €12.5 million for the quarter-finals, €15 million for the semi-finals, €18.5 million for the final, and an additional €6.5 million for the champions. In addition to these revenues, UEFA redistributes bonuses linked to what it terms the “value pillar,” totaling up to €853 million. This metric combines the size of the club’s domestic television broadcasting market and its historical ranking derived from the club’s results in European competitions over the past ten years. Ultimately, the Champions League winner can expect to earn around €110 million.