Sky's the Limit: Here's How Much Dinamo Could Earn from UEFA
By eliminating Kauno Žalgiris, Dinamo has already secured at least €4.91 million, while reaching the Champions League would bring in at least €19.42 million.
By eliminating Kauno Žalgiris, Dinamo has already secured at least €4.91 million, while reaching the Champions League would bring in at least €19.42 million.
After eliminating Thun and securing European football in the autumn for the 19th time in the last 20 seasons, Dinamo welcomed Lithuanian champions Kauno Žalgiris, led by former "Modri" coach Željko Sopić, to Maksimir. The Zagreb club cruised to a 5-0 victory with goals from Miha Zajc, Scott McKenna, Mateo Lisica, Luka Stojković, and Lukas Kačavenda ahead of the return leg next Tuesday at 7 PM.
According to data from 24sata, Dinamo has already earned €3.723 million by this week. This amount consists of fixed bonuses of €175,000 for each of the three European qualifying rounds, plus an additional €3.17 million for at least participating in the Conference League group stage.
However, that is far from the final figure. UEFA adds a value pillar payment, which includes a share of TV rights sales and the club coefficient, as well as bonuses for wins and draws, and bonuses for final placement. For instance, last place in the Conference League earns €28,000, with each higher position increasing that amount.
Advancing to the Europa League, which Dinamo would secure by confirming their victory over Kauno Žalgiris, would bring the club an additional €1.14 million. The starting bonus for this competition is €4.31 million, and placement bonuses start at €75,000 for last place, with that amount also multiplied depending on the final ranking.
This means that by eliminating the Lithuanian champions, Dinamo would earn at least €4.91 million this season solely from UEFA bonuses, not including the share from TV rights and the club coefficient.
The biggest financial boost lies in the Champions League. If Dinamo, after Kaunas, also gets past Norwegian side Viking and enters the group stage, the payout would be several times higher. On top of the base of €525,000 for the three qualifying rounds, there is a starting bonus of €18.62 million, and each position on the table earns €275,000.
By reaching the elite competition, Dinamo would thus earn at least €19.42 million, with estimates for total bonuses reaching up to €23 million. In the Champions League, a win is worth €2.1 million, and a draw €700,000. In the Europa League, the amounts are more modest: €450,000 for a win and €150,000 for a draw.
An additional incentive comes for finishing in the top eight of the group stage. Clubs that achieve this will receive an extra €2 million in the Champions League, €600,000 in the Europa League, and €400,000 in the Conference League. For positions 9th to 16th, these bonuses are halved.
