Europa League Showdown: United and Spurs Clash in High-Stakes Final
Financial rewards in Europa League final: Amount Manchester United or Tottenham could earn by victories in Bilbao
The Premier League heavyweights Manchester United and Tottenham are all set for a thrilling face-off in the Europa League final that promises silverware and a significant cash injection.
Man United, guided by Ruben Amorim, trounced Athletic Bilbao 7-1 on aggregate to secure their spot in the final. Meanwhile, Tottenham, led by Ange Postecoglou, also booked their place after a comprehensive 5-1 aggregate win over Bodo/Glimt.
Both clubs are currently languishing in 16th and 17th position in the Premier League, putting immense pressure on their managers. However, winning the Europa League could salvage their seasons.
Europa League Prize Money
The winners of the Europa League final will pocket the maximum reward of £10.95 million, which is nearly double the prize money for the runners-up, taking home a respectable £5.9 million. This cash boost could be just the tonic these teams need to turn their league fortunes around.
Europa League Final Cash Stakes
Interestingly, the prize for winning the UEFA's second-tier tournament is around half the reward for the Champions League winners, who take home £21.1 million. On May 21, 2025, the contest will take place in Bilbao, Spain, with the victor earning a substantial financial windfall.
Europa League Prize Money Breakdown
Here's a breakdown of the maximum potential earnings for both United and Spurs:
- Winner: £10.95 million
- Runner-up: £5.90 million
- Semi-finalists: £3.54 million
- Quarter-finalists: £2.11 million
- Round of 16: £1.47 million
- Knockout round play-off: £252,800
With each round, the teams stand to earn increasingly substantial sums, highlighting the financial incentives for them to secure Europa League glory.
Relative Comparison
To give some perspective, runners-up in the Champions League pockets an impressive £15 million. That means one of United or Spurs will receive almost triple the amount compared to a finalist in Europe's elite competition.
However, participating in the Europa League has still significantly increased the earnings for both United and Spurs. Each team that made it to the League Phase received £3.6 million, while every win in the league awarded £379,201, and each draw fetched £126,400.
Moving further, teams that automatically qualified for the knockout rounds got £505,000, and those that saw their journey end in the knockout round play-offs took £252,000. Prize money then jumped significantly for the round of 16, with teams eliminated in that stage claiming £1.47 million.
Teams that lost in the quarter-finals received £2.11 million, narrowly missing out on an extra chunk by being knocked out earlier. A semi-final spot guaranteed a £3.54 million reward, albeit one that will now consistently grow due to their continued progress.
All of these prizes account for about 40% of the entire Europa League payouts, with the remaining money distributed amongst clubs participating and considering broadcasting revenue.
Countdown to the Europa League Final
Quarter-finals
- Lazio 3-1 Bodo/Glimt [2-3]
- Manchester United 5-4 Lyon [7-6]
- Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham [1-2]
- Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Rangers [2-0]
Semi-finals
- Manchester United 4-1 Athletic Bilbao [7-1]
- Bodo/Glimt 0-2 Spurs [1-5]
The final is set for Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Bilbao, Spain. Who will lift the trophy remains to be seen, but one thing's for sure: either Manchester United or Tottenham will walk away with a hefty prize purse.
Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as we get closer to this blockbuster event!
Enrichment Data:
The prize money breakdown for the Europa League final involving Manchester United and Tottenham in the 2024/25 season is as follows:
- The winner of the Europa League receives approximately £10.95 million.
- The runners-up receive about £5.9 million.
These figures come from talkSPORT and have been reported for the final scheduled between Manchester United and Tottenham on May 21, 2025[1].
Additionally, reaching the knockout stages and advancing through the competition generates substantial prize money beyond the final payout:
- Clubs earn progressively larger sums at each knockout stage, for example, around £20 million more for reaching the quarter-finals.
- The overall UEFA prize money for a club making it deep into the Europa League can reach about £73 million from prize money alone[2].
Therefore, Manchester United or Tottenham can expect the final prize money on top of the cumulative earnings accrued through earlier rounds, with the winner taking home nearly £11 million and the runner-up just under £6 million from the final match itself[1][2].
- The Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham promises a financial windfall, with the winners set to receive approximately £10.95 million, while the runners-up will take home about £5.9 million.
- Winning the Europa League could bolster the finances of both clubs, as the prize money is nearly double the amount earned by Premier League teams for a win in the league and significantly more than the runners-up in the Champions League.
- Despite their low Premier League positions, the financial incentives offered by the Europa League could help both Manchester United and Tottenham turn their league fortunes around.
- The prize money for winning the UEFA's second-tier tournament is around half the reward for the Champions League winners, with a substantial financial payout set for the Europa League final in 2025.
