2.4 billion euros for clubs participating in the Champions League

UEFA, the European football governing body, 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 single league phase, according to documents published by the continental body this summer. Clubs eliminated in the summer play-offs and transferred to the UEFA Europa League will receive a bonus of €4.2 million. The second-tier European competition is significantly 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 victory and €700,000 for a draw. Additional cumulative bonuses are awarded based on 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, and €18.5 million for the final, along with a €6.5 million bonus for the tournament winner. In addition to these revenues, UEFA will also redistribute bonuses linked to what it terms the “value pillar,” totaling up to €853 million.