The financial incentives that come with winning a major competition are impossible to ignore, and either Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United will receive a healthy boost should they prevail in the Europa League final.
Wednesday’s clash in Bilbao means so much for an array of reasons, and only the higher-ups working for both clubs will be primarily concerned with the potential economic perks that European glory supplies.
Success on Wednesday not only provides supporters with bragging rights ammo and the chance to consume trophy celebration content for weeks on end, but by winning the Europa League, they’ll also receive a spot in the incentive haven that is the Champions League.
Debate whether either of them are deserving of a place all you want, but that’s where the bulk of the financial reward comes in.
2025 Europa League Final Prize Money
Tottenham have so far earned £26.5 million ($35.4 million) in Europa League prize money, while Man Utd have made £26.6 million ($35.6 million) due to their superior position in the final league phase table. Both teams received £5.9 million ($7.8 million) for reaching the final.
The winners will receive another £5 million ($6.6 million) but are guaranteed £21 million ($28.1 million) in total due to the Champions League qualification prize, which is worth just shy of £16 million ($21.4 million).
The Europa League winners will also earn financial rewards for winning or drawing league phase matches in the Champions League next season, with a cash sum received following the conclusion of the league phase based on where they finish. League phase wins are worth £1.8 million ($2.4 million) and draws £590,000 ($789,640).
Thus, there’s potential for the victor to earn tens of millions even if they fail to reach the knockout stages of the 2025–26 Champions League, while Wednesday’s losers won’t enjoy any of the incentives given their lowly Premier League standing.
This is their only immediate route back into the big time.
How Does Europa League Prize Money Compare to Champions League?
The expansion of both competitions from 32 to 36 teams means it’s no surprise that there’s been a prize money bump this season compared to 2023–24.
The Champions League’s total prize pot for 2024–25 has increased by a third, jumping to £2.04 billion ($2.72 billion) from £1.74 billion ($2.32 billion). Despite undergoing similar expansion, the Europa League is considerably less lucrative, with the overall prize pot roughly a quarter of the continent’s premier club competition at £475.4 million ($636 million).
Paris Saint-Germain or Inter, who face off in the 2025 Champions League final at the end of May, will receive an extra £21.5 million ($28.7 million) for lifting the trophy in Munich. Again, that’s more than four times as much as the Europa League winners will receive for their success in the final, worth £5 million ($6.68 million).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Much Is the Prize Money for Winning the Europa League?.