The 10 Teams That Cashed In The Most From The Club World Cup 2025
- Think Football Ideas
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago
The Ten Clubs That Turned The Club World Cup Into A Golden Handshake, in Cold, Hard Pounds
They called it a bloated FIFA experiment, but for the clubs involved, it was anything but a financial flop. The revamped Club World Cup didn’t just offer global bragging rights, it unleashed a staggering $1 billion prize pool.
While fans and pundits debated the tournament’s purpose, there was one clear winner: the club owners and accountants. Whether it was football giants padding their transfer budgets or minnows transforming their entire financial future, it turns out that winning on the pitch wasn’t the only prize. Some clubs truly cashed in.
Here are The 10 Clubs That Cashed In The Most From The Club World Cup
Club | Participation (£m) | Performance (£m) | Total (£m) |
Chelsea | 21.3 | 62.7 | 84 |
PSG | 23 | 55.4 | 78.4 |
Real Madrid | 26.3 | 40.2 | 66.5 |
Fluminense | 11.1 | 39.3 | 50.4 |
Bayern Munich | 24.6 | 18.1 | 42.7 |
Borussia Dortmund | 19.6 | 18.8 | 38.4 |
Man City | 27.9 | 9.9 | 37.8 |
Palmeiras | 11.1 | 18 | 29.1 |
Inter Milan | 17.8 | 26.3 | |
Al Hilal | 7 | 18 | 25 |
10. Al Hilal — £25m
They weren’t just making up the numbers. Al Hilal rode their underdog status all the way to a last-16 stunner over Manchester City, picking up £18m in performance bonuses. Add that to their £7m participation fee, and the Saudi giants walked away with £25m. A tidy return for a side many wrote off before a ball was kicked.
9. Inter Milan — £26.3m
No fairytale run here, but Inter kept things business-like, clocking up £8.5m in performance money on top of a £17.8m participation cheque. The Serie A side must have needed a rest after losing the 2024-25 league title to Napoli and the Champions League to PSG. They might not have lit up the Club World Cup in America, but their accountants certainly weren’t complaining.
8. Palmeiras — £29.1m
The Brazilian heavyweights packed a punch in the latter stages, earning £18m on performance, nicely stacked onto their £11.1m entry fee. Palmeiras made sure South America stayed in the money conversation.
7. Manchester City — £37.8m
Man City didn’t go deep into the tournament, but they still pocketed around £37.8m. For context, that basically covered their £31m deal for Rayan Aït-Nouri. Pep’s Cityzens may have exited early, but when you can cover a summer signing with a tournament payout, it softens the blow.
6. Borussia Dortmund — £38.4m
They didn’t reach the semis, but Dortmund’s quarter-final exploits earned them £18.8m in performance, doubling up their £19.6m participation sum. That windfall reportedly covered more than half of their summer transfer outlay. Smart business, right?
5. Bayern Munich — £42.7m
Even without a deep run after being knocked out by a 9-man PSG side, Bayern flexed their financial muscle. Their £24.6m participation was always going to be hefty, and a further £18.1m in performance bonuses kept the Bavarians near the top of the pile.
4. Fluminense — £50.4m
The South American darlings of the competition. A sizzling run to the semis, where they surprisingly beat Manchester City, brought in £39.3m in performance rewards, added to their £11.1m entry fee. In relative terms, they punched well above their weight, and their bank account shows it.
3. Real Madrid — £66.5m
Los Blancos know their way around a FIFA payday. Their £26.3m participation loot, plus £40.2m in performance bonuses, cemented Madrid’s status as masters of both the pitch and the profit sheet.
The tournament also gave new manager Alonso a valuable chance to get a feel for his squad ahead of the new campaign after taking over from Ancelotti. It’s no wonder they pulled the trigger early on Trent Alexander-Arnold. “A deal paid off before he’d even unpacked,” joked a football fan online.
2. Paris Saint-Germain — £78.4m
PSG didn’t take the trophy, but they absolutely took the cash. Their £23m participation sum was bolstered by a staggering £55.4m performance haul following their arrival in the final after seeing off Real Madrid in the semi-final. For a club with a reputation for splashy spending, this was a welcome windfall.
1. Chelsea — £84m
They won it on the field, and they’ve smashed it off it. Chelsea’s £21.3m participation fee got things rolling, but their £62.7m performance money crowned them undisputed cash kings after their 3-0 win over PSG in the final. With over £80m recouped, their summer spending spree suddenly looks a lot smarter.
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