Arsenal set for major cash windfall after Athletic Club Champions League triumph

Arsenal are among the Premier League clubs participating in the Champions League this week and the Gunners have already landed £2m in prize money this week with the group stages kick off across Europe.

Mikel Arteta's side defeated Athletic Club 2-0 in Bilbao last night with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard scoring in the second half.

City AM report, the top tier of European football has seen an increase in prize money this year, with £2m up for grabs for a group stage victory, and just over £600,000 available for teams that secure a draw in their opening match this week.

Chelsea will join the fray tonight, facing Bayern Munich in Germany, while Liverpool welcome Atletico Madrid to Anfield.

Newcastle United and Manchester City both have home games on Thursday, marking a three-day matchweek. The Magpies will face Barcelona in the north, while City will host Napoli, featuring their former player Kevin De Bruyne, at the Etihad.

Last year's Champions League winners, Paris Saint-Germain, raked in a staggering £70m from their successful run when combining match prize money and their group finishing position.

Arsenal will be hoping they can rake in a similar fee this season, though that figure does not account for a value bonus, which is awarded to teams based on their popularity in the competition.

English clubs such as Manchester City and Liverpool could have already pocketed £50m each based on guaranteed TV money figures.

Tottenham Hotspur, who outplayed Manchester United to clinch the Europa League title and secure a spot in the Champions League, saw a financial boost of approximately £120m just by qualifying for the elite competition.

Adding to their winnings, they pocketed an additional £3m simply by participating in their Super Cup defeat to PSG ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Currently, Premier League champions Liverpool are leading the pack as favourites to lift this year's Champions League trophy, with Barcelona, PSG, Arsenal and Real Madrid trailing behind.

All 36 teams participating will be ranked on a single table, with the top 24 earning the chance to advance to the later stages.

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