Clubs benefit from Champions League revenue

A total of €754.1m was distributed to clubs participating in the UEFA Champions League last season. The two teams which competed in the final in Munich, Chelsea FC and FC Bayern München, received the highest amounts.

The financial distribution from the 2011/12 group stage onwards

Solidarity payments to national associations for the clubs involved in the qualifying rounds of the 2011/12 UEFA club competitions

Chelsea FC, who won the title after a penalty shoot-out at the Fußball Arena München in May, received €59.935m in payments from UEFA. This sum consisted of €29.9m in participation, match and performance bonuses in the group and knockout stages, including the final, as well as €30.035m from the television market pool. Bayern earned a total of €41.730m: €26.9m in participation, match and performance payments, and €14.830m from the TV market pool.

In addition, €9m went to Chelsea for their success in the final, while Bayern earned €5.6m as runners-up. Other clubs to earn substantial amounts from the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League were FC Barcelona (€40.550m), AC Milan (€39.864m), Real Madrid CF (€38.434m), Manchester United FC (€35.182m) and FC Internazionale Milano (€31.569m).

The €754.1m prize money allotted to the 32 teams who figured from the group stage onwards consisted of €413m in fixed amounts plus €341.1m from the market pool. All of the 32 participating clubs received a minimum €7.2m in accordance with the distribution system, comprising a participation bonus of €3.9m and €3.3m from the six €550,000 match bonuses given per group game.

Additionally, performance bonuses were paid in the group stage: sides received €800,000 for every win and €400,000 for every draw, with Madrid the only club to net the maximum €4.8m. The 16 clubs that reached the round of 16 were each assigned an additional €3m, the eight quarter-finalists an extra €3.3m, and the four semi-finalists a bonus of €4.2m.

Monies from the market pool were distributed according to the proportional value of the national TV market each individual team represented, among other factors, so the amounts given varied from country (or national association) to country.

Clubs which took part in the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds also received solidarity payments – each domestic champion which did not qualify for the group stage received €200,000, while clubs who were eliminated in the three qualifying rounds received €130,000 for each round played, up to a maximum of €390,000. Each of the 20 teams involved in the play-off matches received a fixed amount of €2.1m, irrespective of the result of their ties.