The Champions League, now in its 71st season, provides an opportunity for 36 teams, including record winners Real Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, and continental underdogs Qarabag, to be crowned continental champions. Many people use it to make as much money as they can before leaving the competition.
Football365 has presented an approximate breakdown of how much prize money each side, including Paris Saint-Germain, Ajax, and Eintracht Frankfurt, has already earned from their participation in this season’s Champions League. That is before matchday income and other considerations are taken into account.
36. Kairat – £17.59 million.
Kairat, one of the competition’s lowest-ranked teams, play in the Kazakhstan Premier League and are unlikely to pull off a Leicester City-esque miracle. Regardless of their achievement, they are on track to earn a lot of money, which is currently worth £17.59 million.
35. Pafos – £18.71 million
The signing of David Luiz during the summer will give Cypriot first division team Pafos some experience and know-how in the defence, but do they have the firepower up front to match? Their initial goalless draw with Olympiacos would imply otherwise, but they have earned £18.71 million so far.
34. Union Saint-Gilloise – £22.17 million
The signing of David Luiz during the summer will give Cypriot first division team Pafos some experience and know-how in the defence, but do they have the firepower up front to match? Their initial goalless draw with Olympiacos would imply otherwise, but they have earned £18.71 million so far.
34. Union Saint-Gilloise – £22.17 million
Qarabag is near the bottom of GIVEMESPORT’s Champions League Power Rankings, having earned £22.25 million from their 2025/26 campaign at Europe’s top table. Surprisingly, they began proceedings with a 3-2 victory over Benfica.
32. Galatasaray – £22.36 million
Galatasaray, often regarded as one of the largest clubs to never win the Champions League, will rely on Victor Osimhen’s goal-scoring power to advance to the tournament’s later stages. Will everything work out? Who knows, but they have made £22.36 million so far.
31. Slavia Prague – £24.35 million
Slavia Prague, a team from the Czech capital, knows how to make noise on European evenings. Few do it better than the Fortuna Arena crowd, even if their opening tie with Bodo/Glimt dimmed the mood. They’re set to earn more than the £24.35 million they’ve already received.
30. Copenhagen, £26.9 million
Copenhagen, Denmark’s largest team by a country mile, lost three points in their Champions League opening versus Leverkusen due to an own goal in the 91st minute. Jacob Neestrup’s team will be hoping to turn things around as quickly as possible after spending £26.9 million.
29. Bodo/Glimt – £27.22 million.
To begin Champions League play, Bodo/Glimt achieved a 2-2 draw against Slavia Prague on the road, earning £27.22 million. Spurs are up next, having met in the Europa League semi-finals last season.
28. Athletic Club – £26.71 million.
Athletic Club, which generally plays midweek games in Europe’s second division, is making money this season through Champions League broadcasts after placing fourth in La Liga. They are reaping the benefits of playing in the top three, having earned just over £25 million.
27. Olympiacos – £28 million
Olympiacos, one of the world’s most successful football clubs, is flying the Greek flag high, having earned £28 million from their Champions League achievements thus far. This is despite a 0-0 tie with ten-man Pafos in their first league encounter.
26. Sporting CP – £28.77 million
Sporting CP has seen significant transition over the previous year or so, beginning with the retirement of head coach Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese team had one of the easier openers on paper, at home against Kairat, and they won three points while collecting a massive £28.77 million.
25. Newcastle United – £30.35 million
Eddie Howe has performed admirably at St James’ Park for Newcastle United. The English manager has guided the Magpies back to regular Champions League participation, which began in 2024/25 with a 2-1 loss to Barcelona. They still made £30.35 million in the process.
24. Club Brugge – £31.98 million
Club Brugge will be one of the happiest clubs after the Champions League’s first round of matches, thanks to a 4-1 victory over Monaco. In doing so, the Belgian juggernauts collected £31.98 million. That figure is projected to climb if they continue to play effectively and produce results.
23. PSV Eindhoven – £32.09 million
Following a 3-1 loss against Union Saint-Gilloise, PSV Eindhoven will focus on correcting their mistakes in the following weeks/months. The Dutch side, managed by Peter Bosz, has received about £32 million for their participation in this season’s Champions League.
22. Ajax – £32.44 million
As they began their season at Europe’s top table, Johnny Heitinga’s Ajax faced battle against previous year’s Champions League finalists, Inter Milan. They did not win, as expected, but they did earn £32.44 million as a result.
21. Napoli – £34.69 million
Despite their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne and Rasmus Hojlund will be eager to help Napoli achieve success on the European stage. Many fans expected them to rank higher on this list because they are the reigning Serie A champions, but they have earned £34.69 million.
20. AS Monaco – £36.52 million
AS Monaco, led by Mika Biereth and Folarin Balogun, was widely regarded as one of the competition’s dark horses prior to its start. Things haven’t started off well (a 4-1 loss to Club Brugge), but getting paid £36.52 million would suggest otherwise.
19. Atalanta – £37.04 million
Atalanta were one of the most entertaining teams in Europe under Gian Piero Gasperini, but can the same remain true under former Southampton manager Ivan Juric? Their debut performance, a 4-0 loss to PSG, might imply otherwise, but they’ve still earned well under £40 million.
18. Benfica – £37.21 million.
Jose Mourinho has returned to the Benfica bench following Bruno Lage’s sacking after the Portuguese team’s 3-2 loss to Qarabag on Tuesday night. The experienced leader, whose new employers have made £37.21 million so far, will attempt to turn things around.
17. Marseille – £37.91 million
Marseille, under by ex-Brighton & Hove Albion custodian Roberto De Zerbi, has assembled a side capable of reaching the Champions League’s knockout rounds. The inevitable 2-1 setback to Real Madrid should not dampen their spirits.
16. Villarreal – £38.23 million
Villarreal, nicknamed the Yellow Submarine, have been rewarded £38.23 million after losing 1-0 to Tottenham. The close victory, courtesy of a fourth-minute own goal from custodian Luiz Junior, will hopefully not shake the Spanish team’s confidence.
15. Juventus – £39.56 million.
Juventus’ decline as Italy’s strongest team has been painful to witness. The Old Lady’s eight-goal thriller versus Dortmund demonstrated why they should be in Europe’s top tier tournament, since they have won the competitions once before (since 1992).
14. Eintracht Frankfurt – £46.41 million
Well, who saw Eintracht Frankfurt defeat Galatasaray 5-1 in their Champions League opener? Many would have predicted such a commanding performance from the Germans, but they are reaping the benefits of their squad-building. So far, they’ve received £46.41 million.
13. Atletico Madrid – £44.68 million
Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone was sent off for colliding with a Liverpool fan after Mohamed Salah’s penalty knotted the game at 3-2 for the Reds. Given Simeone’s status as the highest-paid manager in international football, the Spanish club will need every penny of the £44.68 million garnered thus far.
12. Tottenham Hotspur – £46.41 million
Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the Champions League by defeating Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final – and while their merit may be questioned given their 15th-place domestic finish, Thomas Frank’s side has pocketed £46.41 million following the first round of fixtures.
11. Bayer Leverkusen – £46.41 million
Just behind Inter are Bayer Leverkusen, who fired Erik ten Hag after just a few games this season. It took the Germans until the last embers of their European curtain-raiser to get one point, but despite not winning, they’ve earned a tidy sum of £46.41 million.
10. Inter Milan – £46.65 million
Inter Milan, which suffered the greatest loss in Champions League final history last season (5-0 to PSG), can consider themselves unlucky not to have won the title since 2010. Since the start of the season, Christian Chivu’s side has earned £46.65 million in European revenue.
9. Borussia Dortmund – £48.76 million
Borussia Dortmund, now led by Jobe and the talismanic Serhou Guirassy, drew 4-4 with Juventus to start the season. The Germans, who will want to keep things quiet moving ahead, have earned little shy of £50 million.
8. Barcelona – £49.52 million
Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha are one of the world’s most formidable front threes, and with Marcus Rashford, who scored both of Barcelona’s goals in a 2-0 win against Newcastle United, Hansi Flick has a strong chance of winning this season’s competition. They’ll also make a lot of money throughout the run-up.
7. Arsenal – £50.13 million.
In terms of being strong in all aspects, does Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad have a weakness? A 2-0 victory over Athletic Club was the ideal way to get things started for the north Londoners, and given that they are an English team, they have earned £50.13 million.
6. Chelsea – £50.84 million.
Who is to suggest Chelsea aren’t one of the favourites to win the Champions League after defeating PSG in the Club World Cup final? Perhaps a bit of a push, but the Blues, who have already earned more than £50 million this season, appear to be strong in every aspect.
5. Real Madrid – £53.95 million
Over the summer, Xabi Alonso signed Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold in an attempt to expand their record number of Champions League victories, which presently stands at an impressive 15. Given Real Madrid’s size and stature, it’s hardly surprising that they’ve already earned £53.95 million.
4. Liverpool – £54.9 million
Unsurprisingly, another English team. Arne Slot and Liverpool will attempt to conquer Europe after adding Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz to their star-studded roster. At the time of writing, the Reds have earned £54.9 million from their Champions League exploits.
3. Bayern Munich – £55.34 million.
Harry Kane, as he has always been for Vincent Kompany and co., scored in Bayern Munich’s European opener against Chelsea, a 3-1 victory. As of September, the Bundesliga club had been paid £55.34 million and will undoubtedly collect additional revenue in the coming months.
2. Paris Saint-Germain – £56.3 million.
So far, the reigning champs have made £56.3 million. It’s unclear whether Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain will be able to accomplish the two-peat, but you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll finish towards the bottom of the field.
1. Manchester City – £57.42 million
Thanks to Rodri’s goal against Inter Milan, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City won their first Champions League in 2022/23, completing a trifecta. They’ve gotten off to a good start thus far, winning 2-0 at home against Napoli and pocketing £57.42 million in the process.
How Much Money Did Every Champions League Team Make – 25/26
Rank
Team
Money made
1.
Manchester City
£57.42m
2.
Paris Saint Germain
£56.3m
3.
Bayern Munich
£55.34m
4.
Liverpool
£54.9m
5.
Real Madrid
£53.95m
6.
Chelsea
£50.84m
7.
Arsenal
£50.13m
8.
Barcelona
£49.52m
9.
Borussia Dortmund
£48.76m
10.
Inter Milan
£46.65m
11.
Bayer Leverkusen
£46.41m
12.
Tottenham Hotspur
£44.92m
13.
Atlético Madrid
£44.68m
14.
Eintracht Frankfurt
£40.66m
15.
Juventus
£39.56m
16.
Villarreal
£38.23m
17.
Marseille
£37.91m
18.
Benfica
£37.21m
19.
Atalanta
£37.04m
20.
AS Monaco
£36.52m
21.
Napoli
£34.69m
22.
Ajax
£32.44m
23.
PSV Eindhoven
£32.09m
24.
Club Brugge
£31.98m
25.
Newcastle United
£30.35m
26.
Sporting CP
£28.77m
27.
Olympiacos
£28m
28.
Athletic Club
£26.71m
29.
Bodo/Glimt
£27.22m
30.
FC Copenhagen
£26.9m
31.
Slavia Prague
£24.35m
32.
Galatasaray
£22.36m
33.
Qarabag
£22.25m
34.
Union St-Gilloise
£22.17m
35.
Pafos
£18.71m
36.
Kairat
£17.59m
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