Arsenal - Mikel Arteta
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal are closing in on a major financial windfall from their Champions League campaign after dismantling Atletico Madrid 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, a result that extended their flawless start in this season’s competition.
Mikel Arteta’s men delivered a commanding second-half performance, with Gabriel Magalhaes opening the scoring from a set piece before Gabriel Martinelli doubled the advantage. Viktor Gyokeres then struck twice in quick succession to seal a memorable victory. The result leaves Arsenal third in the Champions League league-phase standings, having collected nine points from their first three games.
Financially, the Gunners are already reaping the rewards of their European run. Simply qualifying for the league phase earned the club €18.62 million (£16.1m). Each victory brings in an additional €2.1 million (£1.8m), meaning Arsenal’s perfect record so far has added another £5.4 million to their total earnings, taking their prize money to around £21.5 million to date.
READ MORE: Diego Simeone admits harsh Arsenal truth after Champions League defeat
Under UEFA’s new format, performance-related payments account for 37.5 percent of the overall €2.15 billion prize fund (approximately £805 million). Another 35 percent (£751 million) comes from what UEFA calls the “value pillar”, a system introduced this season that distributes funds based on each club’s market appeal and global audience reach, effectively rewarding the biggest and most-followed sides.
🚨The Gunners earned a further €2.1m from UEFA by beating Atletico 4-0, taking their total prize money to around €63m. PSG have earned the most in the competition so far, with almost €70m. pic.twitter.com/oQVaecEoP4
— Łukasz Bączek (@Lu_Class_) October 21, 2025
The remaining 27.5 percent (£590 million) is split evenly among the 36 participating teams as a starting fee. In addition, there is a league-phase ranking bonus system: each club is assigned shares valued at €275,000 (£239,000), with the team finishing 36th receiving one share and the top-ranked side receiving 36 shares.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE NOW ARSENAL WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
Here’s how UEFA’s stage-by-stage prize money breaks down: winners – €25 million (£21 million), runners-up – €18.5 million (£16 million), semi-finalists – €15 million (£13 million), quarter-finalists – €12.5 million (£11 million), round of 16 – €11 million (£10 million), knockout round play-off – €1 million (£869,000), league phase win – €2.1 million (£1.8 million), and league phase draw – €700,000 (£608,000).
For comparison, last season’s champions Paris Saint-Germain earned roughly £70 million through match victories and their league-phase ranking.
With their momentum building and a lucrative prize pool on the line, Arsenal will now turn their attention to their next Champions League fixture, a trip to the Czech Republic to take on Slavia Praha as they aim to keep their unbeaten streak alive and their earnings rising.
NEXT ARTICLE: Mikel Arteta hails four Arsenal stars after dominant Champions League win over Atletico