AZ and Feyenoord did excellent business on Thursday evening with a view to wintering in the Conference League. Both Eredivisie clubs are leading in their group with ten points from four matches. The sporting successes are financially beneficial to AZ and Feyenoord. The third club tournament has already generated millions of euros for the Alkmaarders and Rotterdammers.
All 32 participants of the group stage of the Conference League received a starting premium of 2.94 million euros. A win in the group stage gives a bonus of 500,000 euros, a draw is good for 166,000 euros. The starting premium, three wins and a draw resulted in a total amount of 4,606,000 euros for AZ and Feyenoord.
Earnings can increase further during the tournament. With two group matches to go, another million euros can be earned. Both clubs are in excellent shape with a view to the next round. If the teams of Pascal Jansen and Arne Slot qualify for the knockout phase, a premium of 600,000 euros will come their way. However, Feyenoord has already received approximately 125,000 euros in fines from UEFA this European season.
Further in the Conference League there are even bigger sums to be earned. Qualifying for the quarter-finals yields one million euros. Two million euros is ready for the four semi-finalists and the two clubs that reach the final receive a bonus of three million euros. The winner will be rewarded with a premium of another two million euros. The maximum amount of prize money that can be earned in the Conference League is slightly above fifteen million euros. In comparison: in the Champions League a maximum of 89 million euros in prize money can be earned.
Vitesse, which went down 3-2 on Thursday evening to visit Tottenham Hotspur, is currently in third place in the Conference League. The Arnhem team won twice and thus earned a million euros. With two more group matches against Stade Rennes (away) and NS Mura (home), Thomas Letsch’s team still has a chance of qualifying for the next round.
Europa League
PSV is the only Dutch club active in the Europa League this season. In the second UEFA club tournament, slightly higher amounts can be earned than in the Conference League. Like all participants, PSV received a starting premium of 3,630,000 euros. A win is good for 630,000 euros, a draw yields 210,000 euros. The Eindhoven team is on five points after four games. Including the start-up premium, PSV’s earnings therefore amount to EUR 4,680,000.
In addition to the premiums received from UEFA in Europe, AZ, Feyenoord, Vitesse and PSV also earn money from the market pool and sold-out stadiums. The amounts that can be earned in the Conference League and Europa League are many times lower compared to the Champions League. The counter of Ajax this season is already at about 65 million euros.