£102 million Arsenal cash windfall confirmed

Arsenal have emerged as the Premier League’s top financial beneficiaries from last season’s Champions League, banking €117 million (£102 million) despite falling in the semi-finals to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, according to UEFA’s newly published Financial Report 2024/25.

Mikel Arteta’s side surpassed domestic rivals Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City in prize-money terms, underlining the lucrative rewards on offer for a deep run in Europe’s premier club competition. Liverpool, eliminated in the round of 16, collected €98.1 million (£85 million) thanks to a superior coefficient and a first-place finish in the league phase, while quarter-finalists Aston Villa earned €83.7 million (£73 million). Manchester City, who exited in the play-off phase, received €76.2 million (£66.4 million).

PSG’s triumph delivered €144.4 million (£125.9 million) to the Parc des Princes coffers, with beaten finalists Inter Milan securing €136.6 million (£119 million). Arsenal’s semi-final windfall places them third overall on the competition’s earnings table, ahead of every other English club.

The report also highlights the stark prize-money gap between UEFA’s three men's tournaments. Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur collected €41.4 million for their success, while runners-up Manchester United took €36.4 million (£31.7 million). Chelsea’s Conference League victory under Enzo Maresca yielded €21.8 million (£19 million), a figure only marginally higher than the reported annual wage of Raheem Sterling prior to his recent contract termination.

For context, merely reaching the Champions League league phase guaranteed each of the 32 participants at least €21.9 million (£19.1 million), with Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava the lowest earners. By contrast, Arsenal’s women’s team secured €1.5 million (£1.3 million) for winning the Women’s Champions League, illustrating the sizeable disparity in prize funds between the men’s and women’s competitions.

UEFA’s breakdown confirms that broadcast revenues, coefficient rankings and on-pitch performance all feed into the final sums, ensuring that consistent victories and a strong historical record translate directly into greater financial reward. For Arsenal, the £102 million injection offers a timely boost as they look to reinforce Mikel Arteta’s squad ahead of another assault on domestic and European honours.