In brief
In order to boost status, FIFA redesigned the Club World Cup, adding more teams and prize money.
Every victory brings in money for clubs with higher rankings, which in turn receive more from prize distribution.
The highest salaries to date are reported by elite teams like Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich.
The purpose of this summer’s redesigned Club World Cup, which now includes 32 teams instead of just seven and features elite clubs from all around the world based on their results over the previous four years, was to bring new significance to a once-overlooked competition. FIFA has increased prize money significantly, which is one of the most effective ways it has raised the stakes.
However, how much money are clubs making? Even though teams like Barcelona, Napoli, and Liverpool—all of whom missed this renovated showpiece despite winning domestic titles—might enjoy the sudden break as they prepare for the new campaign, you could understand their jealousy of the wealth available in the revamped competition.
The Club World Cup divides the £772.81 million prize fund into two main pillars: participation money and sporting performance, following UEFA’s strategy throughout its three championships. Simply put, the greater your bill, the higher your standing. Each win can generate significant revenue, but lower-coefficient clubs receive a lesser share of the pie. As the Round of 16 games approach, we’ve evaluated each club’s current bankroll using data from Football365.
32-24
Auckland City, Wydad AC, and Seattle Sounders feature among the worst-paid clubs
Nobody would be surprised to learn that Auckland City, whose team is primarily composed of semi-professionals who had to take yearly leave to play, is at the bottom of the earnings list with only £3.53 million. With one goal scored and a heartbreaking 17 goals given up, their group stage campaign ended with just one point.
Oddly, despite not earning a single point, Wydad Casablanca received twice as much as Auckland because of their higher club position. Even though none of the teams left the United States with more than a draw from their three games, they earned £7.38 million, the same amount that the Urawa Red Diamonds, Ulsan HD, Seattle Sounders, and Pachuca did.
Los Angeles FC earned £8.15 million on home soil despite only managing one result, a 1-1 tie with Flamengo in the first round. Even though they weren’t the highest-paid African team at the tournament, ES Tunis, the Tunisian team that defeated LAFC 1-0, took home £8.92 million.
Place
Club
Profits thus far
32.
City of Auckland
£3.53 million
= 27.
Casablanca, Wydad
£8.15 million
= 27.
The Pachuca
7.38 million pounds
= 27.
The Seattle Sounders
7.38 million pounds
= 27.
HD Ulsan
7.38 million pounds
= 27.
Red Diamonds of Urawa
7.38 million pounds
26.
Los Angeles Football Club
£8.15 million
= 23.
ES Tunis
£8.92 million
23-16 Al-Hilal, River Plate, and Boca Juniors were among them.
Both Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly and United Arab Emirates team Al Ain, who are the most successful teams in international football according to major awards, made £8.92 million. The highest-earning African team at the tournament was Mamelodi Sundowns, a South African team. They earned £9.69 million via a tie with Fluminense and a close 1-0 victory against Ulsan. They also had a chance to win something against Borussia Dortmund but lost in an exciting 4-3 match.
Given how wealthy their ownership group is, RB Salzburg is unlikely to be very happy with their £11.79 million haul. The only significant complaint Boca Juniors may have with their £13.29 million prize fund is that it did not match the amount received by their bitter rivals River Plate of Buenos Aires. With River’s four points, they were able to bank £14.06 million.
With a one-point victory over River Plate in Group E, Monterrey—the last footballing home of Sergio Ramos—qualified for the Round of 16 and earned £16.25 million. Al Hilal, however, is another team that is unlikely to even glance at their earnings. In Saudi Arabia, a country rich in gold and oil and exempt from PSR regulations, £16.25 million could as well be spare change in the cushions of the royal sofa, even though it matches Monterrey’s sum.
Place
Club
Profits thus far
= 23.
Al-Ain
£8.92 million
= 23.
Ahly, Al
£8.92 million
22.
Sundowns in Mamelodi
7.38 million pounds
21.
RB Salzburg
11.79 million pounds
20.
Junior Boca
£13.29 million
19.
Plate of Rivers
£14.06 million
= 16.
The Monterrey
£16.25 million
= 16.
Al Hilal
£16.25 million
15–8
Inter Miami and all four Brazilian teams are ranked highly.
David Beckham, who makes the same as Al Hilal, might also be unimpressed by £16.25 million. Despite this, the funds may still be used to pay for Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets as Inter Miami strives to dominate the MLS.
Atletico Madrid received a sobering reminder of how far behind their European competitors they still are following a humiliating 4-0 loss to Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and placing lower in their group than Botafogo. Nevertheless, a respectable return of £17.68 million, only marginally less than Porto’s £17.85 million, helps to lessen the shock. Even though they most recently lost 5-2 to Manchester City, Juventus, the fallen giants of Serie A, barely made the £20 million mark.
Brazil’s four representatives – Palmeiras, Fluminense, Botafogo, and Flamengo – each earned between £20.62 million and £21.39 million, further cementing their reputation as South America’s club football powerhouses, even if the national team has faltered in recent major international tournaments. When Benfica defeated Bayern Munich 1-0, many were taken aback. Now, everyone is watching to see if they can defeat Chelsea in the Round of 16 with a similar effort. Whatever happens on Saturday, they have already made £22.53 million.
Place
Club
Profits thus far
= 16.
Miami Inter
£16.25 million
15.
Real Madrid
17.68 million pounds
14.
Porto
17.85 million pounds
13.
Juventus
£20.06 million
= 10.
The Palmeiras
£20.62 million
= 10.
Fluminense
£20.62 million
= 10.
Botafogo
£20.62 million
9.
The Flamengo
£21.39 million
8.
Benfica
£22.53 million
7-1
Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich boast the best earnings
Last season, Inter Milan advanced to their second Champions League final in three years, but they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in a historic 5-0 thumping at the Allianz Arena. They will undoubtedly want to make another push by making prudent use of their existing £27.65 million in revenues. Borussia Dortmund will feel the same way, as they must reinvest their £29.45 million in revenues if they want to avoid falling 25 points behind the Bundesliga champions once more.
Without a doubt, Chelsea’s £30.36 million earnings will allay worries about fulfilling the Premier League’s sustainability and profitability regulations. Despite leading 1-0 within 13 minutes, Liam Delap’s group stage run included victories and clean sheets against ES Tunis and LAFC, as well as a worrying 3-1 loss to Flamengo.
Similar group stage experiences were encountered by PSG, who defeated Atletico Madrid and Seattle Sounders handily before losing to Botafogo by a slim margin of 1-0. They nevertheless made £32.06 million, which was barely less than the top three of Real Madrid (£36.25 million), Bayern Munich (£33.78 million), and Manchester City (£38.71 million), who had a perfect record with 13 goals and only two goals allowed.
Place
Club
Profits thus far
7.
Milan Inter
£27.65 million
6.
Dortmund Borussia
£29.45 million
5.
Chelsea
£30.36 million
4.
Saint-Germain, Paris
£32.06 million
3.
The Bayern Munich
£33.78 million
2.
Real Madrid
£36.25 million
1.
City of Manchester
£38.71 million
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