Premier League prize money: what each place could earn Sunderland in European chase | OneFootball

Sunderland’s push for Europe comes with clear financial stakes, with Premier League merit payments rising per position.

They lost 4-3 at Aston Villa at the weekend but remain in the race. According to Sunderland Echo, seventh currently carries a UEFA Conference League place and sixth brings Europa League qualification, with the Black Cats two and four points off those spots and holding a game in hand.

If Villa win the Europa League and stay in the top five, sixth would become a Champions League berth, opening a rare pathway.

Merit payments from UK and international broadcast deals increase by an average of £2.66m per position, excluding equal share and commercial income.

Right now, 11th would be worth £26.5m to Sunderland, roughly covering the outlay on Nordi Mukiele (£12m), Robin Roefs (£11.5m) and Bertrand Traore (£2.5m), with money to spare.

Climbing to sixth would add £13.3m, taking the total to £39.8m, that uplift alone enough to pay for Mukiele with £1.3m left over.

A slide to 14th would cut the return by £7.9m to £18.6m. At the extremes, leaders Arsenal are set for £53.1m while bottom club Wolves would receive £2.6m.

Source: Sunderland Echo