Europa League Prize Money: Unlocking the Windfall of Winning UEFA’s Title and Qualifying for Champions League
Although not bearing the same level of distinction as the renowned
UEFA Champions League
competition, the
Europa League
It’s a premier European competition that brings both continental prestige and significant monetary rewards.
The UEFA has consistently raised the prize money for all tournaments each year, with
It encompasses the complete competitive landscape for all tournaments in the 2024/25 season.
with a combined prize money totaling €3.317 billion ($3.74B).
Out of this amount, €565 million ($640.5m) is designated for the Europa League, which constitutes approximately 17 percent of UEFA’s total prize money allocation for the entire season.
In addition to the immediate financial benefit, winning the UEFA Europa League also secures direct qualification for the following season’s UEFA Champions League, bringing about even more substantial financial rewards. This significantly amplifies the motivation to clinch the victory.
Tottenham and Manchester United are set for the 2025 finale on May 21.
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The Sporting News analyzes everything that can be gained by teams through victory in the Europa League, including direct benefits from UEFA in the short term as well as securing Champions League qualification for the following year.
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Europa League prize money
For the 2025 season, a team can secure victory
up to approximately €29.6 million
(£25.1 million) in prize money throughout the tournament.
Clubs earn €4.3m just for qualifying to the league phase of the competition, and they can earn even more on performance bonuses through that portion of the competition: wins are worth €453,000 each, while draws are worth €151,000.
From this point onward, the prize money escalates as each successive knockout round is achieved, culminating in the championship being valued at an impressive €5.9 million all by itself.
|
Stage |
Prize (€) |
Prize (£) |
Prize ($) |
| League Phase qualification | €4.3m | £3.6 million | $4.8m |
| League Phase win | €453,000 | £378,000 | $504,000 |
| League Phase draw | €151,000 | £126,000 | $168,000 |
| Leagues Phase top 8 placement | €605,200 | £505,000 | $673,300 |
| League Phase 9-16 finish | €302,000 | £252,000 | $336,000 |
| Round of 16 qualification | €1.8m | £1.5 million | $2m |
| Quarterfinal qualification | €2.5m | £2.1 million | $2.8m |
| Semifinal qualification | €4.2m | £3.5 million | $4.7m |
| Europa League final qualification | €7m | £5.9 million | $7.9 |
| Europa League title | €5.9m | £5 million | $6.7m |
What is the monetary value of qualifying for the Champions League?
Along with the Europa League prize money mentioned earlier, the team that wins the tournament will also secure a direct spot in the Champions League group stage for the following season.
The
prize money from the Champions League
This amount is five times larger than that of the Europa League, allowing the victorious team to secure entry into the highly profitable premier competition.
For the 2024/25 season, qualifying for the Champions League group stage guarantees teams €18.6 million. This amount alone nearly doubles what the highest-earning Europa League champion could receive. Furthermore, each win during the league phase adds another €2.1 million to their earnings, with an extra €700,000 awarded for every match drawn.
Altogether, clinching victory in the UEFA Europa League final might bring Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United approximately €64 million (€73 million) initially. This figure doesn’t only account for immediate prize winnings; it also opens up pathways to more substantial earnings in the following campaign.