Manchester United’s third-placed finish in the Premier League is set to hand them a significant financial boost ahead of a crucial summer. The Red Devils were staring at oblivion midway through the season following the departure of former head coach Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese failed to build on an impressive summer of 2025, during which INEOS invested wisely in the attack and goalkeeping departments. While the performances were significantly better than the previous season, results did not improve, prompting United to let Amorim go at the beginning of January.
The Red Devils appeared to be lagging behind in the top-four race, but Michael Carrick’s arrival changed everything. Tasked with getting the season back on track and pushing for a top-four finish, the Englishman secured his objectives well before the end of the campaign.
United have now finished third in the Premier League with one game left in the season, thanks to a run of 11 wins and three draws in 16 games under Carrick. With a place in next season’s Champions League also secured, an update has now emerged on how much the Red Devils will earn from their third-placed finish in the league.
United set to pocket £48.6m
According to the Manchester Evening News, United are likely to pocket £48.6 million thanks to their league position this season. The report states: “Arsenal will be entitled to the largest slice of the prize money pot following their first league title since 2004.”
“This is anticipated to amount to roughly £54m, while runners-up City are set to receive approximately £51.3m, while United’s share is anticipated to be roughly £48.6m.”
The report points out that Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are set to finish at the bottom of the table, are likely to earn around £2.7m, the lowest of the 20 teams.
Estimated Premier League Prize Money: 2025/26 Season
| Tentative Position | Club | Estimated Prize Money |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | £54m |
| 2 | Manchester City | £51.3m |
| 3 | Manchester United | £48.6m |
| 4 | Aston Villa | £45.9m |
| 5 | Liverpool | £43.2m |
| 6 | Bournemouth | £40.5m |
| 7 | Brighton | £37.8m |
| 8 | Chelsea | £35.1m |
| 9 | Brentford | £32.4m |
| 10 | Sunderland | £29.7m |
| 11 | Newcastle | £27m |
| 12 | Everton | £24.3m |
| 13 | Fulham | £21.6m |
| 14 | Leeds | £18.9m |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | £16.2m |
| 16 | Nottingham Forest | £13.5m |
| 17 | Tottenham | £10.8m |
| 18 | West Ham | £8.1m |
| 19 | Burnley | £5.4m |
| 20 | Wolves | £2.7m |
How much did clubs earn last season?
The report goes on to add that the sum allocated to each position depends on many factors and can change annually. It states: “The sum allocated per position varies annually and can be affected by inflation and other factors.”
“Last season’s amount stood between £2.6million and £2.7m, which represented what bottom side Southampton collected simply for competing, alongside approximately £100m more in various payments.”
“Approximately £90m of that figure comprised international and domestic broadcast revenue, which is distributed equally among all 20 clubs. Furthermore, each side also pocketed £7.9m from central commercial revenue streams, a sum expected to remain broadly similar this season.”
The report also points out that bigger clubs secure larger portion of the broadcast revenue due to their worldwide appeal, adding: “Clubs then collect merit payments determined by their final league position, alongside facility fees calculated on how frequently their matches were broadcast throughout the campaign.”
“Unsurprisingly, several of the larger clubs command a greater portion of this fund, owing to their appeal to broadcasters.”
Final Thoughts
A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that United could earn as much as £70 million from their participation in the Champions League. With INEOS preparing for further investments in the squad, bringing in Carrick in January this year is once again proving to be a masterstroke.
Featured image George Wood via Getty Images
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