Europa League final: Why winning competition is worth £120m
Tonight in Bilbao, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping to salvage their season by winning the Europa League final.
The two teams are currently 16th and 17th in the Premier League, a far cry from the top-five finish required for a place in next season’s Champions League.
However, winning the Europa League would also bring Champions League qualification and a likely financial uplift of around £120m.
How much is winning the Europa League worth?
Europa League prize money comprises three areas: a starting fee, performance-related amounts and something called the value pillar.
For starters, both Tottenham and Manchester United are guaranteed €4.3m (£3.6m) as a participation fee.
Manchester United’s marginally better record in the league phase means they have banked a total of €25.8m (£21.6m) on their way to the final, compared to Tottenham’s €25.6m (£21.5m).
With victory in the Europa League final worth an additional €6m (£5m), United can get to €31.8m (£26.7m) and Spurs €31.6m (£26.5m).
Then there is the value pillar, which gives more money to teams from the biggest media rights markets, and could add an additional €10.6m (£8.9m) to both Manchester United’s and Tottenham’s prize funds, taking their overall earnings to £35.6m and £35.4m respectively.
Playing in the Europa League has also brought in matchday revenue, with Manchester United and Tottenham having played seven home games each throughout the competition.
With an average ticket income per home game of £4.3m for Manchester United and £4.9m for Tottenham, this is an additional revenue of £30.1m and £34.3m respectively.
An increase in commercial revenue – from, for example, sponsor bonuses – is also a factor, though these sums tend to be confidential and may be modest for a Europa League win compared with a Champions League triumph.
In total then, including prize money and matchday income, a successful Europa League campaign would be worth £65.7m for Manchester United and £69.7m for Spurs.
The value of Champions League qualification
A win in the Europa League final also comes with qualification for next season’s Champions League, which means even more money is at stake.
With participation alone worth €18.6m (£15.6), and every league phase victory and draw an additional €2.1m (£1.7m) and €0.7m (£0.58m), merely qualifying is worth – conservatively – £20m. The Champions League value pillar is more lucrative and worth another £20m.
Playing in the league phase guarantees four home games for each team, adding an extra £17.2m and £19.6m to United’s and Tottenham’s finances – as a minimum.
Again, while hard to ascertain the exact value, Champions League qualification would also boost commercial revenue through improved sponsor payments and sales.
So, the total financial package for winning the Europa League is worth an estimated £118.5m for Manchester United and £124.9m for Tottenham.
It all comes down to an all-English evening of high-stakes football in Bilbao.