One place, £2.7m
Every Premier League club banks an equal share of about £85m whatever it does. On top sits the merit payment, worth roughly £2.66m per place — so finishing one position higher is worth about the same as a decent squad player's annual amortisation. That matters beyond the bank balance: prize money is football revenue, and football revenue is the denominator of the squad cost ratio. Winning loosens the rule that losing tightens.
Merit payments by position
| Pos | Merit | Total* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £52.5m | £137.5m |
| 2 | £49.9m | £134.9m |
| 3 | £47.2m | £132.2m |
| 4 | £44.6m | £129.6m |
| 5 | £41.9m | £126.9m |
| 6 | £39.2m | £124.2m |
| 7 | £36.6m | £121.6m |
| 8 | £33.9m | £118.9m |
| 9 | £31.3m | £116.3m |
| 10 | £28.6m | £113.6m |
| 11 | £25.9m | £110.9m |
| 12 | £23.3m | £108.3m |
| 13 | £20.6m | £105.6m |
| 14 | £18.0m | £103.0m |
| 15 | £15.3m | £100.3m |
| 16 | £12.6m | £97.6m |
| 17 | £10.0m | £95.0m |
| 18 | £7.3m | £92.3m |
| 19 | £4.7m | £89.7m |
| 20 | £2.0m | £87.0m |
*Merit plus the equal share. Estimated from the most recent published distribution. Facility fees — paid per televised appearance — are excluded because they depend on broadcast selections, not finishing position.
Champions League money
| Stage | Worth | Note |
|---|---|---|
| League phase place | ≈ £16m | Participation plus the value of each league-phase win |
| Each league-phase win | ≈ £1.8m | Draws worth roughly half |
| Round of 16 | ≈ £9.6m | |
| Quarter-final | ≈ £10.6m | |
| Semi-final | ≈ £12.5m | |
| Final | ≈ £15.5m | Winners take a further ≈ £5m |
For a club close to its limit, a European run can be worth more headroom than selling a player — and unlike a sale it costs no squad depth.
What one place does to each club's ratio
The same £2.7m lands on every club, but it does not land equally. A club with a small revenue base feels it far more than one with £800m coming in — which is why the clubs closest to the line are usually the ones for whom results matter most financially.
| Club | Ratio now | One place higher |
|---|---|---|
| Ipswich Town | 94.7% | −1.34pp |
| Coventry City | 72.6% | −1.32pp |
| Hull City | 75.2% | −1.27pp |
| Fulham | 92.6% | −1.15pp |
| Brentford | 87.3% | −1.02pp |
| Nottingham Forest | 86.2% | −0.91pp |
| Sunderland | 69.1% | −0.83pp |
| Leeds United | 68.4% | −0.67pp |
| AFC Bournemouth | 71.5% | −0.66pp |
| Crystal Palace | 73.4% | −0.65pp |
| Everton | 67.1% | −0.65pp |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 63.8% | −0.51pp |
| Newcastle United | 80.4% | −0.48pp |
| Aston Villa | 63.9% | −0.32pp |
| Chelsea | 76.5% | −0.31pp |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 69.7% | −0.31pp |
| Liverpool | 66.0% | −0.23pp |
| Arsenal | 61.6% | −0.21pp |
| Manchester City | 60.8% | −0.20pp |
| Manchester United | 55.5% | −0.19pp |
Change in squad cost ratio from adding one place of merit money to the revenue base, holding cost flat. Ranked by who gains most. Click any club for the full workings.
Questions
How much is one Premier League place worth?
About £2.66m in merit payments. Every club also receives an equal share of roughly £85m regardless of where it finishes, so the gap between first and twentieth is narrower than people assume — roughly £50m of merit money against a floor above £110m in total payments.
Does winning matches help a club's FFP position?
Yes, on both sides. Prize money and gate receipts raise football revenue, which is the denominator of the squad cost ratio, so the same wage bill produces a lower ratio. A club that finishes higher can therefore afford more squad without breaching, which is why relegation and European qualification move compliance so violently.
What is Champions League participation worth?
Roughly £16m simply for being in the league phase before a ball is kicked, then about £1.8m per win, with knockout rounds adding £9m–£15m each. For a club near its limit, European progress is often worth more in ratio headroom than a sale.
Are these figures official?
No. They are estimates based on the most recent published distributions, used here as a 2026/27 projection. The Premier League does not confirm the pot until the season closes, and this page will be updated when it does.