The newspaper L'Equipe has published one of the best kept secrets of each season: the money that is distributed in the Champions, Europa League and Conference League every season. Perhaps the result of the Superliga or of the higher television revenues year after year, UEFA has increased the rewards for victory or qualification. They go down in the second continental competition, but each team aspires to take more due to the reform of the competition. There will also be succulent booties in the new tournament, in which Villarreal will participate.
The Champions
Qualifying for the group stage already gives more than 15 million euros to each club, about 390,000 more than last season. Already in that round, each win rewarded the teams with 2.8 million. Tying delivers 930,000, also more than what it did in 2020/21. Access to eighths is rewarded with € 9.6M; to rooms, with € 10.6M; to the semifinals, € 12.5M; and in the final € 15.5M. In addition, the champion goes from collecting 19 million to entering 20.
The Europa League
Despite the fact that the Champions League will have a prize budget higher than last season, the Europa League drops from 510 to 465 million euros. However, it is a better data for the clubs that dispute it. The competition reform changes from 48 participants to just 32, so they will proportionally enter a higher amount.
For example, getting into the group stage was previously 2.92 million and now it will deliver 3.63. Winning is rewarded with 630,000 euros and drawing with 210,000. Being a group leader brings in an extra € 1.1M. The new Manchester United and Villarreal will split € 4.6M just for reaching the final. Whoever is victorious gets € 8.6M.
The Conference League
The new competition may seem, at first glance, less attractive than the other two. Although it is true that it will move much less money, it will also distribute a significant amount: 235 million among its 32 participants. Almost € 3M goes to whoever gets into the group stage. Each victory delivers 500,000 and the tie, 166,000. The leadership in this table is 650,000 and the second place, 325,000. L'Equipe publishes a prize of 8.9 million for the winner, although it could be a mistake, since it is an amount higher than the payment awarded to the winner of the Europa League.