Sizzling Stakes: BVB Boss Watzke counters Club World Cup Prize Money Spark
Club World Cup Bonus Funds Disclosed by BVB Director Watzke
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The Club World Cup, with its revamped format, offers an intriguing blend of sports glory and significant financial rewards. Germany's powerhouses, FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, stand poised to make history by clinching the first ever global tournament spanning all continents.
"Winning this tournament would be a monumental achievement - it's the first global tournament, a must-win for every football enthusiast," Bayern's CEO, Jan-Christian Dreesen, shared with BVB's CEO, Hans-Joachim Watzke, in an interview with the Munich Mercury/tz media group.
"Uruguay claimed the first World Cup victory in 1930, and the first Club World Cup winner will be etched in history the same way," Watzke emphasized. The tournament features 32 teams, kicking off this weekend and running through mid-July in the United States. Bayern and Dortmund, the only German participants, have achieved historic status domestically.
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"Every club, including ours, is cooked in butter over this," Watzke acknowledged. Financially speaking, the tournament is a prize worth pursuing, Dreesen pointed out. The Club World Cup has a total prize pool of $1 billion, roughly €876 million. The winning team of the July 13 final in East Rutherford could pocket a maximum of $110 million in prize money.
"The sum is hefty, but it has to be divided by four," Watzke explained: "The Champions League takes place yearly, while the Club World Cup happens only every four years. Moreover, additional games entail increased performance bonuses for players, and high travel expenses." The tournament sees 63 matches played across twelve stadiums.
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The football bigwigs stayed mum on specific title predictions. "It's much like the Champions League: We aim to advance from the group stage, round of 16, quarter-finals, and so on. But we mustn't think that only European teams pose a threat," said Watzke. "Our ultimate goal is always to win titles, but first, we need to hurdle the group stage and make it to the knockout phase," Dreesen added.
Watzke foresees at least one European team in the final, "possibly two." He named Paris Saint-Germain, recent Champions League winners for the first time, as the top contender: "They're a top-tier side, ready to bleed for victory. Of all teams, I trust them the most."
Alas, as of current reports, Dortmund has not qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup lineup as it is determined by achievements between 2021 and 2024, and Dortmund's performances fell short of the required criteria set by FIFA.
Note on Potential Earnings
Should Dortmund have qualified and won the tournament while conquering every match, their potential earnings would be substantial:
- Participation and Group Stage:
- Minimum participation payout: at least $52 million
- A theoretical maximum group stage (three wins): $2 million × 3 = $6 million
- Knockout Stage Bonuses:
- Round of 16: +$7.5 million
- Quarter-finals: +$13.125 million
- Semi-finals: +$21 million
- Finalist: +$30 million
- Winner (if also group stage winner): +$40 million (bonuses add up, but realistically only a subset would apply; see note below)
- Total potential earnings for tournament winner (including group stage wins and knockout bonuses): Up to $125 million.
[1] Based on available resources, Dortmund did not meet the qualification criteria for the 2025 Club World Cup.[2] Participation payout and performance-based bonuses may vary across sources.[3] Minimum guarantee as per one source, while some reports suggest a lower figure.[4] Other sources claim a guaranteed minimum substantial participation fee is offered, along with additional performance rewards.[5] Total prize pot reported as $1 billion, with a potential payout of up to $125 million for a tournament winner with maximum bonuses, as per certain sources.
- Given the financial rewards of the Club World Cup and the importance of winning the first global tournament, the Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, considering the increased travel expenses and carbon footprint associated with the tournament.
- Amidst the excitement of the Club World Cup, Borussia Dortmund's CEO, Hans-Joachim Watzke, alongside FC Bayern's CEO, Jan-Christian Dreesen, found time to discuss environmental concerns, acknowledging the need for sustainability initiatives in football as the tournament brings together 32 teams from around the world.
