Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as the top earners in the Europa League’s initial phase, despite neither team securing a top-two finish in their respective groups. Manchester United, who finished third, have accumulated £19.5 million in prize money, the highest among all participating clubs. Their final match victory against FCSB cemented their spot in the last 16 and boosted their earnings. Tottenham, finishing fourth overall, trail closely behind with £18.4 million in prize money, accrued from five wins and two draws in eight matches. Eintracht Frankfurt, initially positioned second, slipped to sixth after a loss to Roma, accumulating £18.3 million.
Both English clubs have the potential to add a substantial £16.5 million to their earnings should they progress to win the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21st. However, their path to victory might involve facing formidable opponents like Athletic Club, a strong contender and second seed behind Lazio. The current standings have also dictated the tournament’s progression, preventing a potential clash between Manchester United and Tottenham until the final, due to their third and fourth-place finishes in the group stage.
While the financial gains from the Europa League provide a welcome boost for these two Premier League giants, the potential maximum earnings pale in comparison to the lucrative Champions League. Liverpool, for instance, has already secured £83 million from their Champions League campaign, more than double the potential maximum earnings from the Europa League. This disparity highlights the significant financial gap between the two competitions. Aston Villa, despite securing direct qualification to the last 16, represents England’s lowest earner so far. Meanwhile, other English participants in European competitions, Arsenal and Manchester City, have earned £75.9 million and £62.7 million respectively, with Manchester City awaiting the outcome of Friday’s draw to determine their opponent in the Champions League knockout stage – either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
Chelsea, topping the Conference League standings with a flawless record of six wins, has accumulated £9.03 million, with the opportunity to double this amount by winning the competition. This underscores the considerably lower financial rewards offered by the Conference League in comparison to both the Champions League and the Europa League.
The playoff round of the Europa League features a complex web of potential matchups. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th in the group stage will compete for a spot in the last 16. These playoff pairings include Bodo/Glimt facing either Twente or Fenerbahce, Anderlecht against the same two potential opponents, FCSB against either Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK, Ajax against the same two potential opponents, Real Sociedad against either AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland, Galatasaray against the same two potential opponents, Roma against either Ferencvaros or Porto, and Plzen against the same two possible opponents.
The winners of these playoff ties will then advance to the last 16, where they will face one of the top eight teams from the group stage. These matchups are: Lazio vs. one of Roma, Plzen, Ferencvaros, or Porto; Athletic Bilbao vs. one of the same four teams; Manchester United vs. one of Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, FC Midtjylland, or AZ Alkmaar; Tottenham vs. one of the same four teams; Frankfurt vs. one of FCSB, Ajax, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, or PAOK; Lyon vs. one of the same four teams; Olympiakos vs. one of Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, Twente, or Fenerbahce; and Rangers vs. one of the same four teams. These pairings set the stage for a thrilling knockout phase, culminating in the final in Bilbao.
