In-depth look at UEFA Champions League prize money: How much does income increase each round? Check the match dates for every stage of the UCL 2025-26 competition.
On Friday, 27 Feb 2026 GMT+7, the prize money for each round and condition of the UEFA Champions League, the European club football championship for the 2025/2026 season, was revealed. It is divided into league phase bonuses, league phase participation fees, performance-based prize money during the league phase, and knockout round prize money.
In the league phase, teams receive participation fees, performance-based prize money, and ranking bonuses.
- Participation fee for the league phase: each team receives approximately £15.9 million (around 667 million baht).
- Performance prize money in the league phase: teams earn about £1.8 million per win, while a draw yields about £600,000 per match.
- Ranking bonuses: teams ranked 1-8 receive £1.7 million (around 76.5 million baht), while those ranked 9-16 get £870,000 (about 39.15 million baht).
If a club wins all matches and finishes in the top 8 in this phase, total earnings can reach up to £16.1 million, or roughly 724.5 million baht.
Teams ranked 9-16 that compete in the playoff round receive bonuses from their ranking and the knockout play-offs. Winning the play-offs grants a bonus of £870,000 (about 39.15 million baht). In total, these teams earn £1.74 million (approximately 78.3 million baht). These totals do not yet include performance-based prize money from the league phase.
In the knockout rounds from the last 16 to the final, prize money bonuses vary by stage. Combined, all rounds offer prize money totaling around £55 million (about 2.31 billion baht). The bonuses per round are as follows:
Round of 16: £9.5 million (approximately 427.5 million baht).
Quarter-finals (last 8): £10.8 million (around 486 million baht).
Semi-finals: £13 million (around 585 million baht).
Runner-up: £16 million (approximately 720 million baht).
Champion: £21.7 million (around 976.5 million baht).
The team lifting the Big Ear trophy in Budapest this season can earn total prize money ranging from £85 to 100 million, roughly 3.5 to 4.2 billion baht. They also gain automatic qualification to the UCL 2026/27 league phase, the right to compete in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026, and a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup 2029.
These figures do not include revenue shares from the Value Pillar, such as broadcast rights and ticket sales, which can add tens of millions of pounds more to clubs’ earnings.
The UEFA Champions League has reached the last 16 stage, and the matchups have been drawn as follows:
Upper bracket
1. Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea
2. Galatasaray vs Liverpool
3. Real Madrid vs Manchester City
4. Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
Lower bracket
5. Newcastle vs Barcelona
6. Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur
7. Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting Lisbon
8. Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal
Match dates
Round of 16: First leg on 10-11 March / Second leg on 17-18 March
Quarter-finals: First leg on 7-8 April / Second leg on 14-15 April
Semi-finals: First leg on 28-29 April / Second leg on 5-6 May
Final: 30 May