Liverpool Leads Champions League Earnings, City Cashes In

The Champions League prize fund is already treating top clubs really well, with Liverpool raking in £83m so far!

January 30, 2025
7:05 pm

As the Champions League knockout stage gets closer, the financial perks of UEFA’s new competition format are becoming super clear. Liverpool has come out on top as the biggest earners so far, raking in £83 million from the prize pool, while defending champs Manchester City have pulled in a solid £62.7 million—earning nearly £21 million for each of their group-stage wins.

Liverpool’s successful run has been fueled by their strong league phase, where they snagged a top-seeding spot, even after losing their last match to PSV Eindhoven. Arne Slot’s squad benefited from Barcelona’s late stumble against Atalanta, helping them finish first in the standings and boost their prize money.

Liverpool’s Prize Breakdown

Here’s how Liverpool’s earnings stack up:

£15.61m for qualifying for the competition
£12.32m from their seven wins (£1.76m per victory)
£8.3m for topping the league phase table
£1.69m for finishing in the top eight
£9.22m for reaching the last 16

Plus, the Reds were guaranteed £35.44m from UEFA’s new TV and historical performance market pillar, which distributes £715.5m of the total £2.07bn prize fund. They also snagged an extra £570,000 from UEFA’s prize money pool for drawn matches.

Liverpool’s total earnings could jump to £127m if they lift their seventh European Cup in Munich this May.

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Arsenal & Barcelona Also Cashing In

Arsenal, who finished third in the league phase, have earned £75.9m so far. The Gunners secured six wins and a draw across their eight matches, bringing in £29.8m from the TV and market pool. Barcelona, sitting between Liverpool and Arsenal in the standings, have racked up £76.3m in prize money.

Manchester City’s Earnings & Potential Windfall

Even with a rocky league-phase campaign that saw them barely make it to the knockouts, Manchester City still ranks as the seventh-highest earners, collecting £62.7m.

A big chunk of City’s income—£37.3m—comes from the UEFA broadcast and past-performance market pool, the second-largest share among all clubs. They also benefited from their three league-phase wins against Club Brugge, Sparta Praha, and Slovan Bratislava, with each victory adding close to £21m to their total.

If Pep Guardiola’s squad beats their yet-to-be-confirmed last-16 opponents, they’ll snag another £9.2m, bringing their total to £71.9m. But City has a tough road ahead, with possible matchups against Bayern Munich or Real Madrid—two teams that have earned £66.8m and £66.5m, respectively.

PSG & Aston Villa in the Money

Paris Saint-Germain have cashed in £67.1m so far, thanks to France’s sweet TV deal with UEFA, while Aston Villa—despite locking in their spot in the top eight with a win over Celtic—have only secured £58.8m. Villa’s lower earnings come from their smaller £15.6m market share, a big difference compared to the amounts received by more historically dominant European clubs.

With the knockout rounds set to bring even bigger payouts, the financial stakes in this year’s Champions League are higher than ever. Liverpool may be leading the pack now, but with several heavyweights still in the mix, the battle for both silverware and cash is just heating up.