CAF Champions League prize money: Winners to pocket record $6 million
African Football
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has raised the bar with a record $6 million prize for the Uefa Champions League winners. With R700 million up for grabs across both competitions, the stakes have never been higher for Mamelodi Sundowns. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
The stakes in African club football have been raised significantly after Patrice Motsepe announced record prize money for the 2025–26 edition of the CAF Champions League, with the winners set to pocket US$6 million – nearly R100 million.
The announcement by CAF president marks another step in the governing body’s efforts to improve the financial rewards in continental competitions and strengthen the commercial appeal of the tournaments.
Under the revised structure, the total prize pool across the Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup has climbed to a record R700m. The increase represents a significant rise from previous editions.
In 2021, the Champions League winners received $2.5m (around R38m at the time), while the figure rose to $4m (about R75m) in 2024.
The latest adjustment now pushes the first prize to $6m, more than doubling the amount paid out just five years ago.
The Confederation Cup has also benefitted from a major financial boost.
The winners of Africa’s second-tier club competition will now earn $4m – roughly R66m – a figure that has more than tripled since 2021 when champions collected $1.25m.
Clubs eliminated in the preliminary stages of the Champions League will also benefit from the new structure. Teams knocked out early in the 2025–26 campaign are guaranteed $100 000 (about R1.65m), an increase from the $50 000 awarded in the 2024–25 season.
There was no financial reward for clubs exiting at that stage in 2021.
The announcement comes as Mamelodi Sundowns continue to carry South Africa’s hopes in the competition this season.
The Betway Premiership champions are the country’s last remaining representatives in the knockout stages and will face Malian side Stade Malien in the quarterfinals.
The first leg is scheduled to take place on Friday night at 8pm, with the return fixture set for March 22 in Bamako. For Sundowns, progression in the tournament would not only move them closer to continental glory but also bring the club within touching distance of the newly increased financial rewards.
CAF has also confirmed the key dates for the finals of this season’s competitions.
The two-legged Champions League final will be played on May 15 and May 24, while the Confederation Cup final is scheduled to take place between May 9 and May 16. With unprecedented prize money now on offer, the race for African club football’s biggest honours has never been more lucrative.
* Smiso Msomi is a senior football reporter for Independent Media and senior contributor for our YouTube channel The Clutch