Leeds United could benefit as £40m parachute pot may double in play-offs | OneFootball

Leeds United could receive a modest financial lift from the Championship play-offs, with parachute money set to be redistributed. If Southampton join Ipswich Town in an instant Premier League return, about £80m would flow back to be shared among top-flight clubs.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, Ipswich sealed automatic promotion with a 3-0 home win over Queens Park Rangers. Southampton, Millwall, Hull City and Middlesbrough head into the play-offs, with the south coast side 19 games unbeaten and fancied for Wembley.

Parachute payments, in place to cushion relegation, were paid to Ipswich and Southampton this season after last year’s drop. Leeds received support across two seasons following 2023 relegation, waiving a third instalment after promotion.

The pair each took 55% of the Premier League’s equal-share broadcast pot, set at £89m last season, equating to just under £49m. That would fall to 45% this summer, around £40m each, but Ipswich’s share now returns to the pot and, if Southampton also go up, the total would double, worth roughly £4m per club.

Neither Ipswich nor Southampton would be due a third year, given only one season back in the top flight. For Leeds, any redistribution would be helpful rather than transformative alongside broadcast and commercial income expected to exceed £100m.

Merit payments based on final position remain a priority, with each place worth just under £3m in recent years. Last season 14th received £18.6m and 10th earned £29.1m, so Daniel Farke’s side will seek strong results against Tottenham, Brighton and West Ham.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk