How much do Championship play-off final winners earn? Latest figures as Leeds United face Southampton

Leeds United could be just one game away from a return to the Premier League and all the riches a return to the top flight brings with it. The Whites will go up against Southampton at Wembley Stadium, with the Saints also bidding to return to the top flight at the first time of asking.

Daniel Farke’s men will go into the final as many people’s favourites, but they go up against a Southampton side that beat them as recently as the last game of the season, and at Elland Road no less. The winner of this game is set for huge rewards beyond the Premier League, and with that in mind, we have taken a look at the potential prize money that awaits the play-off final victor.

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How much money does the winner of the Championship play-off receive?

This game is often dubbed the richest game in football, but that claim is based on the rewards that will be secured in the Premier League by the victor, rather than immediate prize money.

Figures vary by season, and the Premier League has not yet published figures for this season’s prize money, let alone next. Deloitte have previously reported that winning the play-off final is worth anywhere between £135million and £265million, depending on whether the promoted team is able to stay in the Premier League for a second season or not.

Premier League prize money and TV awards

TV money varies by season, but previous figures suggest each club can expect at least £32million in equal share prize money, while further facility fees are paid on a game-by-game basis for those whose fixtures are chosen for TV broadcast. On top of all that, around £47.5million has typically been paid for international TV payments, and a further fee of just shy of £6million has been paid for central commercial deals. That totals around £84.8million per team, although that figure has likely risen since its last revision. In comparison, Championship TV money said to be around £8million.

On top of those TV payments, every Premier League team also earns a prize money award depending on where they finish in the league. The payment usually varies from £2.2million to £44million depending on position. As a guide, the bottom team in the Premier League usually earns more than £100million in total money across TV payments and prize money.

Parachute payments

If all goes badly for a promoted club, they will also benefit from parachute payments in the seasons after their Premier League season, something Leeds have benefitted from this season, and could continue to benefit from going forward should they fail to win promotion.

Relegated clubs get 55% of the broadcast revenue share to help ease their transition back to the Championship, while in the second season that figure drops to 45%. If said club spent more than one season in the Premier League prior to their relegation, as Leeds were, they will also be entitled to a third year payment worth 20% of the payment.