The Richest Game in Football: The EFL Championship Final

Which is the richest game in football? It is not the Champions League Final. It is not the FIFA World Cup Final either. The richest game in the world of football is the EFL Championship Playoff Final.

The EFL Championship is the second tier of English football. Every season, the top two teams are promoted directly to the Premier League, while teams ranked from third to sixth enter the playoff round. The third plays against the sixth, and the fourth plays against the fifth-placed team in a two-legged playoff semifinal. The winners of the semifinals compete in the Championship Playoff Finals at Wembley Stadium for the final Premier League spot.

Interestingly, Argentina received £34 million as prize money for winning the FIFA World Cup in 2022, while Manchester City picked up around £68 million after lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2023. The stakes are even higher in the Championship Playoff Final as the match is worth an estimated £265 million to the winners in TV rights, sponsorships, and other income streams.