How Much Do Teams Get for Winning the Premier League?

Winning the Premier League is not only a prestigious achievement but also a significant financial milestone for any club. The monetary rewards for finishing at the top of England's top-flight league are substantial, encompassing various revenue streams that reflect a club's performance, broadcasting reach, and commercial success.

Manchester City have announced a Premier League record revenue of £715m in their latest accounts.

City have now recorded a profit every season since 2014-15, with the exception of the Covid-impacted 2019-20 campaign.

(BBC Sport) pic.twitter.com/s1yK0pHrhA

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) December 13, 2024

What Is the Prize Money for Winning the Premier League?

In the 2024–25 season, Liverpool earned a record £174.9 million in prize money for winning the Premier League, surpassing the previous record of £171.5 million set by Arsenal in the same season. The prize money is distributed through a combination of merit payments, equal share payments, and additional bonuses based on broadcasting selections. Each club also receives a fixed central commercial payment, which for the 2024–25 season was £8.2 million. Clubs further share in domestic and international broadcasting revenues, with Liverpool collecting £31.2 million from UK broadcasting and £55.7 million from international broadcasting. These combined payments highlight just how financially lucrative the Premier League can be for top-performing clubs.

How Are Merit Payments Calculated?

Merit payments form a significant component of prize money and are based on a club's final position in the league standings. For instance, in the 2023–24 season, Manchester City received £56.4 million for winning the title, while Arsenal, finishing second, earned £53.5 million. Payments decrease incrementally for each lower position, with the last-place team receiving around £12.5 million. This structure ensures clubs are financially rewarded according to their performance, providing strong incentives for competitiveness throughout the season.

Manchester City collected a record £176.2million ($225m) for winning the Premier League title last season, a 15 per cent increase on the previous campaign. pic.twitter.com/HBKMo2bkBH

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) February 2, 2024

What Are Parachute Payments?

Parachute payments help clubs relegated from the Premier League manage the financial challenges of playing in the EFL Championship. These payments are structured over three years, beginning with £48.9 million in the first year, £40.1 million in the second, and £17.8 million in the third. The aim is to maintain financial stability and competitiveness, allowing clubs to adjust to a lower revenue environment while retaining the ability to invest in players and infrastructure to attempt a return to the Premier League.

What Is the Total Prize Fund for the Premier League?

The total prize fund for the Premier League comes from a combination of broadcasting deals, commercial agreements, and sponsorship. In the 2024–25 season, the league generated approximately £3.84 billion from domestic and international TV rights, as well as central sponsorship. This fund is distributed among the 20 clubs through a mix of equal share payments, merit-based payments, and revenue from broadcasting selections. This ensures clubs are rewarded both for competitive success and for contributing to the league’s global appeal.

How Has Premier League Prize Money Evolved Over the Past Decade?

Over the past decade, Premier League prize money has risen significantly, largely due to lucrative broadcasting deals and the league's expanding global reach. In the 2014–15 season, the total prize fund was around £1.8 billion. By the 2024–25 season, this figure had more than doubled to approximately £3.84 billion.

For example, in 2014–15, the club finishing first received about £99 million in total earnings, including merit payments, broadcasting revenue, and central commercial payments. In contrast, the 2024–25 season saw Liverpool earn £174.9 million, marking a dramatic rise in financial rewards for top-performing clubs. This upward trajectory highlights the league’s growth and the increasing stakes for clubs competing at the top, while also raising questions about the financial disparity between the top clubs and those lower in the standings, which could impact overall competitive balance.

Examples of Prize Money Distribution in Previous Seasons

The growth in prize money is evident when examining individual clubs over different years. In the 2018–19 season, Manchester City won the title with 98 points, taking home around £150 million, while Liverpool, finishing second with 97 points, earned slightly less due to merit payments but still surpassed £152 million thanks to a greater number of live TV selections. That season showed how broadcasting choices could influence final payments as much as finishing positions.

In 2016–17, Chelsea won the league under Antonio Conte, receiving around £151 million. Tottenham Hotspur, finishing runners-up, earned £145 million, while even 20th-placed Sunderland collected more than £93 million — a sum higher than what league winners received only a few years earlier. This demonstrates how rapidly the Premier League’s financial power has grown.

Rewinding to the early 2010s, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United won the 2012–13 title in his final year as manager, with total distributions estimated at around £60 million. A decade later, this figure has nearly tripled, reflecting the exponential growth of international broadcasting rights and the league’s global brand value. These comparisons show that Premier League prize money has not only risen steadily but has done so at a pace unmatched by most other football leagues worldwide, strengthening English clubs in European competition while widening domestic financial gaps.

Updated Premier League prize forecast for 2016-17. Biggest winners of final day: Swansea. Their 2-1 v West Brom earned them almost £4m extra pic.twitter.com/JsqP0n8C54

— Nick Harris (@sportingintel) May 21, 2017

Which Club Has Earned the Most in Premier League History?

Manchester City holds the record for the highest cumulative earnings in Premier League history, amassing approximately £238 million over multiple seasons. This total includes merit payments, broadcasting revenue, and other commercial earnings, reflecting the club's consistent top-tier performances and frequent participation in European competitions. City’s sustained success illustrates how consistent excellence on the pitch translates into long-term financial benefits, solidifying their position as one of England’s most commercially successful clubs.

How Does the Premier League Compare Financially to Other European Leagues?

When compared to Italy’s Serie A, Spain’s La Liga, and Germany’s Bundesliga, the Premier League’s financial rewards stand out. Serie A winners, such as Napoli, typically earn between €100 million and €110 million, depending on broadcasting rights and commercial deals. Spain’s top clubs, Barcelona and Real Madrid, usually earn around €120 million to €130 million. Bundesliga champions like Bayern Munich generally collect between €90 million and €100 million. Even when converted to pounds, these figures fall well short of Liverpool’s £174.9 million for winning the 2024–25 Premier League. The English top flight’s global broadcast reach and commercial partnerships make it the most lucrative domestic league in Europe, providing clubs with a financial advantage both domestically and in continental competitions.

Why Does Winning the Premier League Matter Beyond the Trophy?

Winning the Premier League is about far more than lifting the trophy at the end of the season. Financially, it provides clubs with unmatched rewards that significantly exceed those of other top European leagues, allowing them to invest in players, facilities, and long-term growth. The combination of merit payments, broadcasting revenue, central commercial agreements, and parachute payments for relegated clubs creates a financial ecosystem in which success on the pitch directly translates into stability and opportunity off it.

This financial advantage reinforces the competitiveness of English clubs in Europe while shaping domestic dynamics, as clubs strive to keep pace both on and off the field. Ultimately, winning the Premier League is a game-changer. It rewards sporting excellence, strengthens financial resilience, and positions clubs to compete at the highest level for years to come. The league’s growth over the past decade demonstrates how strategic commercial partnerships and broadcasting deals have transformed domestic football into a global financial powerhouse, making the title one of the most coveted — both on and off the pitch.