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Arsenal are set for a substantial financial boost as the Premier League season wraps up, with millions in prize money on offer. In contrast, Chelsea will earn significantly less than they did last year.

With the 2025-26 Premier League campaign concluded, each club’s final position is now confirmed, determining the distribution of prize money for the season.

From the champions – congratulations to Arsenal – to the clubs securing European qualification, and those facing relegation, every position matters financially. Even a single-place shift on the table is worth about £2.6 million, based on last season’s official Premier League figures.

This amount is likely to rise due to inflation and other financial factors over the past year. Combined with record-breaking broadcast income, this creates a remarkable windfall for clubs. For example, Southampton, who finished 20th last season, still earned roughly £100 million in total from TV revenue and other bonuses.

According to the Premier League, a portion of central payments to clubs includes merit-based earnings determined by final league rankings. The merit distribution follows a sliding scale from 1st to 20th place.

For instance, Arsenal as league champions are expected to receive 20 times the base merit payment, the runners-up will get 19 times, and so forth down the table. Last season, each league position carried an additional value of around £2.6 million – with champions Liverpool earning £53.1 million from this component, and bottom-placed Southampton receiving £2.6 million.

In addition to merit payments, domestic and international broadcast revenues are shared equally among the 20 clubs. Each team also receives approximately £8 million from central commercial revenue streams as per last year’s Premier League report.

Looking back at last season provides a useful comparison: Liverpool, as champions, received £174.9 million in total Premier League payments, while Southampton earned £109.2 million – a difference of £65.7 million.

These figures provide a reference point for the 2025-26 campaign, with final totals expected to be officially confirmed in July 2026. Based on current projections, Manchester United should take home about £165.5 million for finishing third, while Liverpool, who ended the season in fifth place, will receive around £160.2 million.

Chelsea, who dropped to 10th after the final round of fixtures, are expected to collect £138.9 million. Tottenham Hotspur, finishing 17th for the second consecutive year, will earn £127.8 million for avoiding relegation. Meanwhile, West Ham United, who ended the season in 18th place, will pocket approximately £116.9 million.

Overall, the combination of performance-based merit payments and growing broadcast deals ensures that the Premier League remains one of the most lucrative football competitions in the world, with even relegated teams enjoying financial rewards that rival top clubs in other leagues.