UEFA has announced the prize money pool for 2018-19 Champions League season a record breaking €2.04 billion which will be distributed among Champions League participants from qualifying rounds to the final. Last year Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Final of 2018 Champions League to retain the title but it was Liverpool who took home bigger chunk of Prize Money. Real Madrid made around €89.5 million (thats €54.2m in performance based money and another €35.3m in market pool) While Liverpool pocketed €101.1 million ($50.6m in market pool and another €51.1m performance based). However UEFA has changed the distribution system from 2018-19 season and we take a look at how the new system works.

Below is the entire breakdown and explanation on how UEFA distribute Champions League tv money.



UEFA has announced several major changes ahead of the 2018-19 Champions League season and that includes around 30% increase in prize money and how the revenue is actually distributed among participant clubs..

Distribution system explained: The estimated yearly gross revenue from all UEFA competitions (Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup) is centralized and placed in 1 pot. UEFA estimates around €3.25 billion to be generated in 2018-19. From central pot €295m is deducted by UEFA for Admin and competition costs another 7% (€227.5m) is used as solidarity payments to clubs and national FAs and another 6.5% will remain with UEFA.

From remaining €2.55 billion central pot, €2.04 billion will go to Champions League fund and €510 million will be reserved for Europa League and super cup competitions.

2018-19 Prize Money Fund: UEFA Champions League is by far the highest prize money paying competition in the world, yeah thats right even more than Football World Cup and for 2018-19 season we see another 30% increase (total €2.04 billion) compared to 2017-18 season where €1.257 billion was distributed among teams in champions league from playoffs to the winners. We take a look at this years champions league funds and how they will be distributed.

UEFA Champions League 2018-19 Prize Money Fund Distribution:

So how does the distribution of €2.04 billion works among Champions League participant and teams who play in Champions League qualifiers but fail to reach group stages.

Qualifiers Fund: €30m will be distributed among the teams who play in Champions league playoffs but fail to qualify for group stages. Playoff winners won’t get anything from this pot as they will be getting the group stage revenue share.

Share for clubs competing in UEFA Champions League (group stage onwards)

A total €1.95bn is estimated to be distributed among clubs from Group Stage onwords. €1.95 billion pot will be divided into four payment pillars.

A). Starting Fees (€488 million) awarded equally to all 32 participating teams in group stage. Thats around €15.25 million per team.

awarded equally to all 32 participating teams in group stage. Thats around €15.25 million per team. B). Performance-related fixed amounts (€585 million) . Teams will be awarded €2.7m per win in group stage, €900,000 per draw. €2m to group winners and €1 million to group runners up. Round of 16 teams get €9.5m per club, €10.5m per club for quarterfinalists, €12m per club for semifinalists and €15m per club for finalists. Eventual winners can take home another €4 million.

. Teams will be awarded €2.7m per win in group stage, €900,000 per draw. €2m to group winners and €1 million to group runners up. Round of 16 teams get €9.5m per club, €10.5m per club for quarterfinalists, €12m per club for semifinalists and €15m per club for finalists. Eventual winners can take home another €4 million. C) Coefficient ranking (€585m). UEFA has introduce a new 10-year performance co-efficient ranking in European competitions. Which will allow to distribute €585 million to the clubs on historic performance related ranking over last 10 years.

UEFA has introduce a new 10-year performance co-efficient ranking in European competitions. Which will allow to distribute €585 million to the clubs on historic performance related ranking over last 10 years. D) Market pool (€292m). Part of UEFA’s TV income which is distributed according to which league the team comes from and number of matches played by a team in 2016-17 Champions League season.

POT 2: UEFA Champions League 2018-19 Fixed Amount Distribution STAGE Total Fixed Amount: €585 million Playoff Bonus €30 million distributed to 10 teams who participated in playoffs but failed to qualify for group stages. Winners of playoffs won’t get anything from this pot. Participation Bonus €15.25 million (Guaranteed) for each 32 teams who play in the group stages Performance Bonus €2.7 Million for every win & €900,000 for every draw in group stages Round of 16 €9.5 million each for 16 teams Quarter Finals €10.5 million each for 8 teams Semifinals €12 million each for 4 teams Finalists €15 million each for both teams in the final Winners €4 million will be awarded to the eventual winners. Potential Total Winner of 2018-19 champions league can earn between €65m to €75m from “Fixed Amount” pot. Plus Market pool money which can easily elevate total earnings of winners from England, Spain, Germay or Italy around €100 million (prize money + market pool)

POT D: Market Pool (€292 million) Distribution:

UEFA has announced €292 million in market pool money for each of the next three champions league seasons. Which will be distributed according proportional value of each TV market (Country/League). So the market pool awarded to each country’s league will be distributed among the teams from that league according to their performance in previous league season and how many matches they will play in the given champions league season.

English clubs will benefit the most with the new Market Pool distribution system and If an english club were to win the champions league in 2017-18 season they will earn more than €110 million (around €55m from performance based + another €50m/€60m with market pool).

If FC Basel were to win the Champions League they won’t make as much as Real Madrid or Barcelona did in the last couple of years. Why ? because of the market value of the team. Teams coming from top 4 European Leagues get the bigger chunk of the market pool.

Every League (not teams) gets specific market pool money according to the UEFA Ranking of European Leagues, and for example last season from Spain Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad played in group stages so the total market pool for spain was shared between four teams. Where Barcelona got €24.6 million, Real Madrid €20 million, Atletico got €17 million and Real Sociedad got €8.5 million in market pool money.

Juventus on the other hand got massive €58.20 million from market pool money because only them and AS Roma from Italy played in the group stages and Roma knocked out in group stages leaving Juventus with huge portion.

So the Market Pool given out to other low ranked leagues like Ukraine, Russia etc is much lower so the clubs from those countries get less money even if they over achieve and qualify for the later stages of the champions League.

How much Tottenham and Liverpool are expected to earn for their 2018/19 Champions League run ?

Tottenham are playing Liverpool in the final of 2019 Champions League, Both English clubs will earn around. €70 million each from performance related pot. Plus they will get hafty amount from Co-efficient ranking pot and the Market Pool Pot. We take a look how much both teams can get from this year’s Champions League run.

Champions League 2018-19 Finalists STAGE Tottenham Liverpool Participation Bonus €15.25 million €15.25 million Performance Bonus €7.3 million (for winning 2 group games and drawing 2) €8.1 million (for winning 3 group games) Market Pool €35.3 million €35.3 million Round of 16 €9.5 million €9.5 million Quarter Finals €10.5 million €10.5 million Semifinals €12 million €12 million Finalists €15 million guaranteed plus €4m if they win in the final €15 million guaranteed plus €4m if they win in the final TOTAL €108 million if winners or €104 million if runner ups €108.9 if winners or €104.9 million if runner ups

How UEFA Distributed Prize Money was distributed in the past few years:

Following table shows how all the 32 participating teams were paid in prize money, performance bonus and market pool money.

Please click on the image below to zoomin