The Main Takeaway from the Club World Cup? Prize Money. Here’s Who Got What

32 clubs took part in the expanded Club World Cup 2025, but only one left the U.S. with the trophy. Still, everyone got paid.

The prize money was distributed based on tournament performance, confederation, and club ranking. For example, among the European sides, Manchester City received the highest qualification payout with €32.5 million, while RB Salzburg earned the least — €10.9 million.

South American clubs from CONMEBOL were each handed €13 million, while representatives from CONCACAF, AFC, and CAF received €8.05 million apiece. The smallest cut went to Auckland City from the Oceania Football Confederation — just €3.7 million. Still, that’s an outstanding payday for the New Zealand club — more than their entire operating budget for several years.

Teams could boost their earnings through success in the tournament itself. However, this didn’t always align with fairness. Monterrey, who reached the Round of 16, ended up earning less than Porto and Atlético Madrid, who were eliminated in the group stage. Even more surprising — Man City, despite being knocked out by Al Hilal, earned €14.7 million more than the Saudi club that beat them.

The biggest winner, of course, was Chelsea, who took home a stunning €96.6 million for winning the tournament. For context, that’s just €51.8 million less than what PSG earned from the entire 2024/25 Champions League season.

So, for the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool, and AC Milan, who all missed out on this edition of the CWC, it’s clear: qualifying for 2029 is not just about silverware — it’s a massive financial opportunity too.

Published by Patrick Jane
15.07.2025