In this article, ModiFoot will dive into how much do Ligue 1 winners get, exploring the prize money, its breakdown, and why PSG — or any champion — doesn’t just gain glory, but serious euros. If you’ve ever wondered what the financial reward is for finishing top in France’s top flight, here’s your full answer.
What is the Ligue 1 winner’s prize money in 2024/25
The most recent info suggests that the club finishing first in Ligue 1 for the 2024/25 season earns around €60 million from the competition’s prize money pool. This sum comes primarily from the league’s domestic revenue — including TV rights, sponsorships, and other media/marketing streams.
This amount is not fixed in stone: variations occur depending on popularity, media profile, and how the overall revenue for the season turns out. Some outlets estimate this “winner’s reward” could fluctuate slightly above or below €60 million, depending on those factors.
How the money is divided: prize structure and influencing factors
Winning Ligue 1 isn’t just about taking the top share; the funds are split following a set structure, and severaltors influence how large “the winner’s slice” turns out.
Breakdown of the revenue pool
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) distributes the prize money according to three main criteria:
- Equal share — A portion of the total is divided equally among all participating clubs, regardless of their final position.
- Performance-based rewards — A larger slice depends on where a club finishes in the table. Winning champions get the biggest part, then gradually less down the table.
- Media profile & popularity bonus — Clubs with higher fan bases, greater visibility, and stronger media reach tend to receive extra reward. Think of big clubs like PSG, Marseille, or Lyon.
Example allocations for recent seasons
- In 2024/25, the winner (PSG) is believed to receive ~€60 million. The second‐place club gets roughly €10 million less. Meanwhile, teams finishing last still receive substantial sums (though far less than the champion) — estimates put bottom clubs’ take around €20 million in some models.
- For the 2022/23 season, similar structures applied — the total prize pool was large (over €500 million), divided in roughly the same proportional fashion. Clubs like PSG got the top reward, others down the table got less.
Why the amount can change
Several variables can alter “how much the winner gets”:
- TV rights deals — When broadcasting income is up, total revenue rises; if rights values drop (or contracts are renegotiated down), the pool shrinks.
- Popularity & audience metrics — Big clubs with massive fan bases have leverage in the portion tied to media/popularity. If those metrics drop (e.g. fewer viewers, less engagement), that bonus shrinks.
- External economic factors — Sponsorship, economic climate, regulatory changes, or disruptions (e.g. global events or contracts ending) can affect overall income.
- League policies — RFPs, financial regulations, or decisions by LFP in how to weight the three components (equal/performance/media) can shift percentages.
Comparisons and perspective
Putting the Ligue 1 winner’s prize money in broader context helps to understand what “€60 million” means.
- Compared to big earnings from UEFA Champions League campaigns, domestic league champion payouts tend to be smaller, but still extremely significant, especially when combined with sponsorships and TV revenue.
- In France, clubs outside the top few usually earn far less — but even mid‐table sides get a decent portion, thanks to the equal share component. That means survival in the league remains financially meaningful.
- When Ligue 1’s rights are strong (good deals, high viewership), the winner’s prize tends to be more generous; when rights devalue, you see pressure on club budgets. This is part of why transfers, wages, and club operations are always so sensitive to league revenue.
What PSG and the rest actually get
Using what is known:
- In 2024/25, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as champions likely got ~€60 million.
- The runner-up gets visibly less (≈ €50 million or a bit under, depending on reports).
- Clubs lower down (say 15th-18th) will still receive tens of millions — not comparable to the winners, but enough to matter.
Importantly, this is just domestic league prize money. Champions also benefit from UEFA competition earnings, commercial incomes, and boosted sponsorships after success — which can dwarf the league prize in some cases.
Challenges and controversies
No system is perfect, and there are debates in French football around:
- Equity: Are smaller clubs getting too little? The media/popularity bonus tilts in favor of established names.
- Transparency: Exact figures are sometimes estimates, not officially published in full.
- Financial sustainability: With TV rights deals under pressure, clubs have warned about missing budgets or needing to cut costs.
- Competitive balance: If the prize structure heavily rewards big clubs, the gap may grow, making league more predictable.
Conclusion
How much do Ligue 1 winners get? In the 2024/25 season, the winner earns around €60 million from the league’s prize money pool, though the specific amount depends on league revenue, TV rights, and how much of the bonus for popularity/media plays in. For a club like PSG, that payout is substantial — but it’s only part of what success brings financially.
If you liked this breakdown, ModiFoot invites you to dive deeper — explore how runner-ups fare, how European competition earnings stack up, and what this all means for club strategies. Want to compare Ligue 1’s prize money to the Premier League, La Liga or Bundesliga? Just say the word.
