CAF hikes Champions League and Confederation Cup prize money
CAF has increased prize money and solidarity payments for its men’s interclub competitions in 2025–26, lifting the commercial stakes for finalists and widening support for early-round participants.
CAF has confirmed record prize money for the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup in 2025–26, positioning higher payouts as part of a push to strengthen African club football’s financial base.The winners of the CAF Champions League will receive US$6m and the Confederation Cup winners will take home US$4m, a significant uplift that raises the return on performance for clubs and their investors.The CAF Champions League increase moves the winner’s cheque up by US$2m from US$4m to US$6m, which CAF described as a 50% rise.The Confederation Cup uplift is larger in percentage terms, doubling the winner’s prize from US$2m to US$4m.The final line-ups set a clear commercial incentive around on-pitch success, with Mamelodi Sundowns meeting AS FAR in the Champions League final and USM Alger facing Zamalek in the Confederation Cup decider.CAF linked the increases to a multi-year growth trend under president Patrice Motsepe, including a comparison with 2021 when Champions League winners received US$2.5m.CAF also highlighted the Confederation Cup’s longer-term jump, noting winners earned US$1.25m in 2021 versus US$4m in 2025–26.The bigger payouts matter for club balance sheets and squad-building strategies, particularly in markets where continental runs are a material driver of cashflow, sponsor leverage and player retention.CAF has also increased its financial support lower down the pyramid, moving payments to clubs eliminated in preliminary rounds to US$100,000 per club for 2025–26, up from US$50,000 previously.CAF said the early-round money is intended to offset travel, logistics and preparation costs, a direct recognition that participation can be loss-making for smaller clubs without central support.The confederation pointed to a record 130 clubs participating across the two competitions in 2025–26, which it linked to the expanded support model.CAF’s next test will be whether higher central distributions translate into sustained improvements in club professionalisation and competitiveness, while maintaining cost discipline and protecting the commercial value of the competitions for partners and broadcasters.