After eliminating Kauno Žalgiris, the Zagreb club has already earned a significant sum from UEFA prize money, while a place in the Champions League would bring a fortune. All playoff pairings are also known.
GNK Dinamo continues its impressive European story. After thrashing Lithuanian side Kauno Žalgiris 5-0 in the first leg at Maksimir, they confirmed their progress in the return match on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, securing a spot in the Europa League. This marks the 19th time in the last 20 seasons that they have reached the European autumn.
By getting past the Lithuanian champions, coached by former Dinamo boss Željko Sopić, the club has further padded its bank balance. As of last week, Dinamo had already earned €3,723,000 from UEFA prize money, including fixed bonuses of €175,000 for each of the three qualifying rounds and €3.17 million for at least participating in the Conference League group stage.
With entry into the Europa League, where the starting fee is €4.31 million, Dinamo received an additional €1.14 million. Along with a €75,000 bonus for finishing last, the minimum earnings from UEFA prize money this season, excluding TV rights and club coefficient shares, now stand at €4.91 million.
However, the real financial windfall is still on the horizon. If Dinamo overcomes Norwegian side Viking in the playoffs and reaches the Champions League group stage, a significantly larger payout follows. On top of the €525,000 base for the three qualifying rounds, they would add a starting bonus of €18.62 million. Each position in the standings brings an additional €275,000, meaning the minimum earnings from UEFA prize money would exceed €19.42 million, with total bonus estimates reaching up to €23 million.
For comparison, a win in the Champions League earns €2.1 million, and a draw €700,000. In the Europa League, those figures are €450,000 and €150,000, respectively. Clubs finishing in the top eight of the league phase will receive an extra €2 million in the Champions League, €600,000 in the Europa League, and €400,000 in the Conference League.
UEFA has also announced the full playoff pairings for the Champions League group stage. The first legs will be played on August 18 and 19, with return matches scheduled for August 25 and 26, 2026.
In addition to the clash between Dinamo (or Kauno Žalgiris) and Viking, Levski Sofia will face AEK Athens, Celtic will take on LASK, and the winners of the remaining third-round ties will also compete for a spot in the elite competition.
