FIFA to Award $2.3m Prize Money to Winners of Inaugural Women’s Champions Cup

FIFA has confirmed that the winners of the first-ever Women’s Champions Cup will receive prize money of $2.3 million (approximately ₹21 crore), underlining the global governing body’s growing investment in women’s club football.

The total prize fund for the tournament stands at $3.9 million, which will be shared among the six continental champions competing in the event. FIFA announced the financial breakdown on Friday, ahead of the final stages of the competition, which will be held in London next week.

The tournament is being staged as a curtain-raiser to a fully expanded Women’s Club World Cup, which FIFA plans to launch in 2028.

European champions Arsenal will face ASFAR of Morocco in one semi-final, while Gotham FC of the United States take on Corinthians of Brazil in the other. Both semi-finals will be played on Wednesday at the home of Premier League side Brentford, with the matches scheduled back-to-back.

The final will take place at Arsenal’s stadium on 1 February, with a third-place play-off also being held at the same venue.

Under FIFA’s prize distribution model, the tournament champions will earn $2.3 million, while the runners-up will receive $1 million. Each losing semi-finalist will be paid $200,000.

Two teams eliminated earlier in the competition — Auckland United of Oceania and Wuhan Chegu Jiangda, representing Asia — will each receive $100,000.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström described the prize fund as a strong signal of confidence in the women’s game.

“This prize money is a clear statement of belief in women’s club football and the players, teams and competitions driving its continued rise,” Grafström said.

Arsenal earned more than €1.5 million (£1.3 million) in prize money for winning last season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League, a figure that highlights the growing financial rewards available at the elite level of the women’s game.

By comparison, FIFA has allocated $1 billion in prize money for the men’s 2025 Club World Cup, which will feature 32 teams and be staged in the United States. That competition has been heavily backed by Saudi Arabian investment to secure the participation of leading European clubs.