Liverpool, Barcelona, Ajax and Tottenham all received a reward of more than £10m for reaching the Champions League semi-finals, and the 2018/19 Champions League prize money each club has earned so far demonstrates the value of the competition to English clubs.
As Manchester City and Liverpool swapped places at the top of the Premier League again at the weekend, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United are going for broke behind them in the race for a place in the Premier League top four and a Champions League spot.
Manchester United’s draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford means sixth-placed United trail the Blues, who occupy fourth, by three points with two matches of the 2018/19 Premier League season left to play.
Tottenham’s first defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against West Ham on Saturday leaves them two points clear of Chelsea in third, while fifth-placed Arsenal are a point ahead of United and two behind Chelsea following their 3-0 defeat to Leicester at the King Power Stadium.
Spurs harbour trophy ambitions after beating Man City in an epic Champions League quarter-final clash to reach the semi-finals, while Liverpool travel to Barcelona looking to stop Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and their Camp Nou team-mates from extending their record-setting unbeaten run at home in the Champions League.
Champions League prize money – how much do clubs earn?
The riches on offer in the 2018/19 Champions League underline why Premier League clubs are desperate to qualify for the competition and join the likes of current semi-finalists Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona and Ajax.
The gross commercial revenue from the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League, the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League and the 2018 UEFA Super Cup is estimated at around £2.8bn (€3.25bn).
Of the resulting net revenue, 93.5% is distributed to the clubs.
Champions League clubs share £1.73bn (€2.04bn), with even clubs who are knocked out in qualifying receiving a fixed payment of £4.3m.
Each of the 32 clubs that qualified for the Champions League group stage received £13.2 million.
Group stage wins in this season’s Champions League group stage were worth £2.3 million, with a draw earning £776,000.
How much is qualification for the Champions League worth in prize money?
The Champions League knockout stages are even more lucrative for clubs.
2018/19 Champions League round of 16 – £8.2m per club
2018/19 Champions League quarter-finals – £9.1m per club
2018/19 Champions League semi-finals – £10.3m per club
Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona and Ajax have the chance to pick up £12.9m by reaching the 2018/19 Champions League final in Madrid. The Champions league winners will then receive an additional £3.5m.