Champions League prize money: The stunning amounts Newcastle United, Man Utd and Brighton could earn

Eddie Howe’s side know two wins from their last three games will be enough to secure their return to the Champions League for the first time in two decades. Brighton and Hove Albion, Leicester City and Chelsea are the teams standing in their way of realising this dream.

With Brighton, Manchester United and Liverpool also vying for the two remaining Champions League spaces, it is set to be a very tense battle for a top-four finish. Of course, playing in football’s premier competition against the continent’s best teams is enough of a reward for Newcastle - but there are also plenty of financial reasons for why qualifying for the Champions League, rather than the Europa League this season, would be a significant accomplishment for the Magpies.

Champions League prize money

The 32 clubs that feature in the Champions League group stage each receive €15.64m (£13.6m), simply for reaching that stage. Every group stage win is worth roughly €2.8m (£2.44m) with a draw being worth just-shy of €900,000 (£780,000). Qualifying from the group stage to the Round of 16 is worth €9.6m (£8.35m) with that increasing to €10.6m (£9.22m) with a win in that round.

A semi-final appearance would earn a team €12.5m (£10.87m). Getting to the final guarantees €15.5m (£13.48m) whilst winning the competition is worth an additional €20m (£17.4m).

In all, the team that wins the competition would net a staggering €85,140,000 (£74.06m) in prize money. For comparison, the winners of the FA Cup will earn £2m in prize money whilst Carabao Cup winners net £100,000.

Europa League prize money

The Europa League will be a secondary prize to those that miss out on qualification for the Champions League. Although qualifying for this competition isn’t something that should be sniffed at, the prize money involved highlights the great disparity between it and the Champions League.

The winners of the entire Europa League will earn €8.6m (£7.48m) in prize money, roughly £1m less than teams earn for simply getting out of their Champions League group. Simply qualifying for the Champions League will earn you a minimum £13.6m, whilst the equivalent figure in the Europa League stands at just €3.63m (£3.16m), a difference of more than £10m.

The non-financial benefits

Qualification for the Champions League does bring with it a whole host of financial incentives, however, it also comes with lots of intangible benefits that may only become apparent when the summer transfer window opens and beyond that. The very best players in world football all want to play Champions League football - and teams in that competition always enjoy a favourable position in the transfer market over their rivals.

Reports have suggested that Newcastle will look to sign ‘elite’ players this summer to bolster Howe’s first-team options. And whilst they have shown an ability to sign high quality players overlooked by other teams in recent times, Champions League qualification would give them an extra dimension in the transfer market and potentially an edge over those teams without Champions League football.

What it all means for Newcastle United

What happens in Newcastle’s remaining three games could have a huge impact on not just next season, but in seasons to come. Even when you park the intangible benefits of Champions League football, the huge amounts of guaranteed prize money available in that competition would allow the Magpies to accelerate their spending on transfers and give them more breathing space when Financial Fair Play constraints begin to take their toll.

For supporters, whilst missing out on Champions League football would be a disappointment, a return of any European competition is something that has been long overdue and something to get very excited about next season. For the club’s owners, their future plans and any potential summer signings, Champions League qualification is a complete game-changer.