FC Bayern’s early entry into the last 16 of the Champions League is not only a sporting success, but also has a clear financial impact. The German record champions have already collected a considerable amount of money – and the end of the line is far from being reached
With their 2-0 win against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Munich have already secured a place among the top eight teams in Europe ahead of the final matchday of the league phase. This means they have secured a direct place in the round of 16 without having to take a detour via the exhausting play-offs. This milestone is doubly valuable for FC Bayern because, in addition to sporting planning security, it ensures a considerable inflow of money from the UEFA bonus pot
Fixed income already in excess of 50 million euros
FC Bayern has already earned more than €50 million in the current Champions League season thanks to its sporting successes to date alone. Each of the 36 participants will initially receive a fixed entry fee of €18.62 million. In addition, there are performance-related bonuses: Munich has collected a further €12.6 million for its six wins in the league phase to date. If it also manages to beat PSV Eindhoven on the final matchday, a further €2.1 million will be added
The bonus for finishing among the top eight teams, which is worth around €2 million, is also already guaranteed. The €11 million for reaching the round of 16 is also out of Bayern’s reach. This does not include the so-called value bonuses from the TV market and the income from at least five home games in the Allianz Arena – another factor that will push the total up significantly
Income could even exceed previous season
The further FC Bayern progresses in the top flight, the more lucrative the competition becomes. Should the record champions finish the league phase in second place, an additional €9.62 million would be due. A win in the round of 16 would bring in a further €12.5 million, a semi-final appearance would be worth €15 million. Even a defeat in the final would mean another €18.5 million, while the winner of the Champions League would collect a whopping €25 million
It is therefore quite realistic that Munich could exceed their income from the previous season. In the previous season, FC Bayern generated around €106 million from the Champions League, putting them in fifth place in Europe – ahead of Borussia Dortmund. In view of the current starting position and the strong sporting form of Vincent Kompany’s team, a similar or even higher amount this season does not seem out of the question
For FC Bayern, the Champions League is therefore once again not only the most important stage in sporting terms, but also a key economic factor. Reaching the round of 16 at an early stage provides planning security, conserves resources – and fills the club’s coffers at the same time.
