GENEVA (AP) — Champions League winner Real Madrid topped the prize money list last season by getting almost 139 million euros ($154 million), UEFA said on Thursday, finally confirming the payments.
Madrid’s money came from a total competition prize fund of more than 2 billion euros ($2.22 billion) that rises by 25% this season in the new and expanded format with more teams and more games.
UEFA’s formula to pay clubs included Madrid getting more than 36 million euros ($40 million) as the top-ranked club preseason, but just 14 million euros ($15.5 million) as a share of income from broadcast rights deals.
Paris Saint-Germain was the second biggest earner — despite being eliminated in the semifinals — with 122.4 million ($135.7 million). That included 34 million euros ($37.7 million) from TV money with the French rights deal shared with Lens as the only two French teams in the group stage.
Borussia Dortmund, the beaten finalist, just edged Bayern Munich with both getting more than 120 million euros ($133 million). German broadcast money was shared among four teams.
In the second-tier Europa League, beaten finalist Bayer Leverkusen got the highest payment of 41.2 million euros ($45.7 million). Title winner Atalanta got almost 34 million euros ($37.7 million).
Liverpool, which was beaten by Atalanta in the quarterfinals, earned less than 27 million euros ($30 million) from UEFA.
Manchester City earned 110.5 million euros ($122.5 million) from reaching the Champions League quarterfinals as the defending champion. An extra 4.5 million euros ($5 million) was earned playing in the season-opening Super Cup against Sevilla, winner of the 2023 Europa League.
Barcelona got just 98 million euros ($108.6 million) for reaching the Champions League quarterfinals in another financially challenging year for the club, which has had issues registering players this season.
Manchester United was paid less than 61 million euros ($67.6 million) by UEFA for placing last in its group, and Newcastle got 34 million euros ($37.7 million) including less than 5 million euros ($5.5 million) from the club ranking payments.
The smallest sum was less than 22 million euros ($24.4 million) paid to Belgian champion Royal Antwerp, the lowest-ranked team.
UEFA also paid 25 million euros ($27.7 million) to the European Club Association, led by PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi, which represents hundreds of clubs and helps manage the competition’s commercial strategy in a joint venture.
The payments were detailed in UEFA's financial report published during its annual meeting being held in the Serbian capital Belgrade.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press
