Manchester City set for major UEFA financial boost as Champions League winners to replace Real Madrid as top-ranked side in Europe

A major revamp to UEFA’s coefficient funding system is set to benefit Manchester City significantly in the coming seasons, a new report has detailed.

Pep Guardiola and his players were crowned champions of Europe’s premier club competition, the Champions League, for the first time in their history last season, as part of a historic campaign only ever matched by Manchester United.

Alongside a third successive Premier League crown that saw City dismiss of competition from Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the Etihad club went on to defeat Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

Those trophy successes both preceded the true crowning moment of their season, as Manchester City went on to win the Champions League final over Serie A giants Inter in Istanbul thanks to a single strike from Rodri.

Manchester City’s consistency in the competition alongside their recent triumph is now likely to see them receive even greater rewards, both in terms of their ranking in European football and the finances they receive from Europe’s footballing governing body.

That is according to a new report from The Times’ Martyn Ziegler, who states that Manchester City are in line to be ‘the biggest winners’ from UEFA’s new funding formula for the Champions League from the 2024/25 season.

It is detailed that UEFA is changing the coefficient funding system which determines how much clubs are paid based on historical performances in Europe. Instead of the previous ten years, the amount will be calculated over the past five seasons.

As such, The Times reports that that will lead to Manchester City becoming the top-ranked side in Europe, replacing Real Madrid, while a further three English sides are among the top seven clubs based on the five-year ranking: Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.

But just how much of an increase could Manchester City see when it comes to prize money generated through UEFA and their Champions League competition?

Martyn Ziegler reports that UEFA are estimating a 33 per cent rise in its income for its club competitions, and should Manchester City win the first revamped Champions League in 2025, earnings would rise from around £120 million last season to over £160 million.

Manchester City begin their defence of their UEFA Champions League title later this month, as they face Red Star Belgrade of Serbia as part of Group G – the first meeting between the two clubs in their respective histories.

City will also have a second fresh opponent in the same group stage campaign, as they were paired with Switzerland-based club BSC Young Boys, whilst a reunion between Josko Gvardiol and RB Leipzig will also take place earlier than perhaps either party could have anticipated.