What is the Women's Champions League prize money?

Alexia Putellas of Barcelona lifts the UEFA Women's Champions League Trophy as the team celebrates Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Barcelona are the reigning Women's Champions League title holders

ByKatharine Sharpe
BBC Sport senior journalist
  • Published

The total prize pot available for clubs participating in the 2026-27 Women's Champions League proper is €18.2m (£15.2m), with €7.7m (£6.4m) on offer for participation in the qualifying rounds.

Uefa will also pay out €5.6m (£4.7m) to teams in the Women's Europa Cup, and a further €6.2m (£5.2m) in 'solidarity payments' to national associations that have at least one club participating in the Champions League.

The €18.2m Champions League prize pot has been in place since 2025, and will increase to €24.1m from 2027 to 2030.

So how is the money allocated?

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How is Champions League money distributed?

Before any games are played, a guaranteed participation fee of €505,000 (£422,500) is paid to all 18 clubs that qualified for the league phase, with 75% paid as a down payment.

Performance-based money is then allocated as follows:

  • League phase win: €60,000 (£50,200)

  • League phase draw: €20,000 (£16,700)

  • Final league phase ranking bonus: €10,000 (£8,200) per place (eg €10,000 for 18th, €180,000 for first)

  • Knockout phase play-offs: €100,000 (£83,700)

  • Quarter-final: €200,000 (167,300)

  • Semi-final: €250,000 (£209,000)

  • Runners-up: €300,000 (£250,000)

  • Winners: €500,000 (£420,000)

The knockout play-off, quarter and semi-final payments are given to both clubs participating.

The 'solidarity payments' are then made to clubs in top domestic women's leagues that did not take part in the Champions League proper.

These payments vary depending on the performance of the national association's club or clubs that took part in the Champions League.

Uefa state that the national associations must distribute their solidarity payments equally among clubs in their top domestic women's championship that did not qualify for the tournament, including those knocked out in qualifying and those taking part in the Europa Cup.

The rules also state these payments must be "earmarked for development purposes and may not be used for the fixed and ordinary costs of the club".

Uefa has also announced that the first €2m (£1.7m) of any surplus amounts (once sales are finalised) will be split between clubs participating in the league phase, with the remainder divided between league phase, qualifying and Euorpa clubs as well as solidarity payments.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.

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