Premier League clubs will pocket record prize money following a historic 2025/26 campaign, according to The Athletic.
Every team will share more than £3 billion this season, the highest ever sum that has been disbursed in Premier League history.
Premier League champions Arsenal will receive a large chunk of the financial reward after finally winning the title for the first time in over two decades.
Their historic achievement is expected to bring in north of £200 million in Premier League broadcast and prize money, which would be a new record for a single season.
That’s significantly higher than what Liverpool earned in Arne Slot’s title-winning debut campaign last term and also more than the previous record set by Manchester City in 2022/23 (£176.2m).
One of the primary reasons for the spike is the increase in ‘merit payments’, which reward clubs based on where they finish in the Premier League table.
Every position in the 2025/26 Premier League table was worth more than before. The financial importance of league positions became very clear during the final round of matches.
There were tight races for the title, a place in Europe, and even the relegation battle.
Sunderland boosted their earnings after securing a 2-1 win over Chelsea in their final fixture. They leapfrogged the Blues, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford into seventh place.
That also helped them secure a spot in the 2026/27 Europa League. Meanwhile, teams near the bottom were also fighting for valuable extra income that could help them next season.
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Tottenham Hotspur preserved their Premier League status by the skin of their teeth after nicking a 1-0 win over Everton on the final day.
West Ham United secured a thumping 3-0 win over Leeds United, but it wasn’t enough for them to avoid a return to the Championship for the first time in 14 years.
The Premier League’s growing overseas television deals are another major factor behind the increase, with international broadcast revenue making up about half of the league’s total payouts.
This season also began a new domestic broadcast cycle, with more matches shown live in the United Kingdom than ever before. That also played a part in the historic payout.