Championship play-offs prize money breakdown

Jaquob Crooke Updated: 02 May 26 15:12

Excitement is palpable for the Championship play-offs as four teams look to achieve Premier League status via a trip to Wembley Stadium.

Dubbed the 'richest game in football', the Championship play-off final not only presents teams with an opportunity to secure top-flight status, but it also offers an abundance of riches attached to playing a season in the Premier League.

2025 witnessed Sunderland and Sheffield United battle it out for a record £200 million, a £60m increase on the monetary value of the Championship play-off final from the year before where Southampton defeated Leeds United.

The club that wins promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs will secure a share of the lucrative domestic television deal, which is worth £6.7bn across four years and works out at £83.75m per season for each top-flight club.

In addition, the triumphant outfit will receive commerical fees, facility fees and merit payments, which are awarded based on league position. In the event of relegation, the winning club would be entitled to parachute payments.

For the losing team in the play-off final, there is the small consolation of receiving £2m in their share of the gate receipts from Wembley Stadium.

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The value of a Championship play-off final to the winner surpassed the £200m mark for the first time in 2025 and that figure is expected to remain in 2026.

The 2024 figure of £140m was the lowest value since 2020, which was the direct result of a Covid-interrupted season.

2013 was the first time the Championship play-off final was worth in excess of £100m to the victor, which Crystal Palace received courtesy of Wilfried Zaha's goal against Watford in extra-time.

In 2005, West Ham's victory over Preston at the Millenium Stadium was worth £31m - meaning there's been a 545% increase in the value of a Championship play-off final success over the last two decades.