CAF announces increased prize money for Champions League and Confederation Cup

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a landmark increase in prize money for its premier inter-club competitions, significantly raising the financial stakes for teams competing in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup from the 2025-26 season.

In a bold move aimed at strengthening African club football and enhancing competitiveness across the continent, CAF confirmed that the winners of both competitions will each receive an additional $2 million.

Champions League prize reaches historic $6 million

Under the new structure, the CAF Champions League winners will now earn a record $6 million, up from the previous $4 million. The runners-up will take home $2 million, while semi-finalists will share $1.2 million. Teams reaching the quarter-finals will collectively receive $900,000.

Clubs finishing third and fourth in their respective group stages will each receive $700,000. In total, the prize pool for the Champions League now stands at an impressive $19.6 million.

The increase marks a remarkable rise in financial rewards since the competition’s rebranding in 1997. At that time, champions earned $1 million. The figure rose to $1.5 million in 2009, climbed to $2.5 million in 2017, jumped to $4 million in 2023, and will now reach an unprecedented $6 million in 2026.

Confederation Cup also sees major boost

CAF has equally doubled the prize money for the Confederation Cup champions, raising it from $2 million to $4 million starting in the 2025-26 campaign.

The runners-up will receive $1 million, with semi-finalists sharing $750,000 and quarter-finalists splitting $550,000. Teams finishing third and fourth in the group stages will each earn $400,000.

Overall, the total prize allocation for the Confederation Cup has risen to $11.9 million — another strong signal of CAF’s commitment to developing the second-tier continental competition.

Since its rebranding in 2009, the Confederation Cup winner’s prize initially stood at $1.25 million. It increased to $2 million in 2023 before doubling to $4 million in 2026.

Part of broader financial growth strategy

This development follows CAF’s earlier announcement that the winner of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) would receive $10 million from 2025 onward — a figure already claimed by the Senegal national football team.

The latest increments underline CAF’s broader strategy to elevate African football’s commercial appeal, improve club sustainability, and reward sporting excellence at both club and national team levels.

With the new prize structure in place, African clubs now have even greater financial incentive to chase continental glory, setting the stage for fiercer competition and higher standards across the continent.