Winner of 2025/26 CAF Champions League to pocket $6 million

The champion of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League will walk away with a record $6 million following a landmark decision by the Confederation of African Football to increase prize money for its premier club competition.

The announcement marks a significant financial leap for African club football, with the winners’ prize rising from $4 million to $6 million, a 50 percent increase.

The new reward structure takes immediate effect and will apply to the decisive stages of the ongoing campaign.

Champions League:

Winner – $6,000,000

Runner-up – $2,000,000

Semi-finalists – $1,200,000

Quarter-finalists – $900,000

3rd & 4th in group stage – $700,000

Preliminary rounds – $100,000

The decision was approved at a CAF Executive Committee meeting held in February and received strong backing from CAF president Patrice Motsepe. The move forms part of a broader strategy aimed at strengthening the commercial appeal and competitiveness of the continent’s elite club tournament.

In addition to the substantial increase for the eventual champions, the overall prize pool for the competition has also grown significantly. CAF has confirmed that the total fund for the Champions League now stands at $19.6 million, reflecting the governing body’s improved financial standing.

Clubs competing in the tournament are also set to benefit beyond the top prize. Participation grants for teams eliminated in the preliminary rounds have been doubled to $100,000, a measure designed to help offset travel and organisational costs, particularly for smaller clubs navigating the demanding continental calendar.

CAF attributes the expanded financial package to its return to profitability, driven largely by improved television rights deals and enhanced sponsorship revenues. The governing body believes the increased rewards will not only motivate clubs but also elevate the overall quality and global visibility of African club football.

With the stakes now higher than ever, the 2025/26 season promises to deliver both sporting excellence and unprecedented financial incentives for the team that ultimately lifts Africa’s most prestigious club trophy.