Teams competing in continental club competitions are in pursuit of the prestige that comes with the title of best team in the region.
They also earn a berth in the lucrative FIFA Club World Cup tournament, which involves potential high-profile matchups against top clubs from other regions.
Winning major club competitions not only brings in silverware and builds notoriety and brand recognition. In addition, these tournaments award cash prizes for clubs that advance deep in the competition.
The CONCACAF Champions League — involving teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean — is no different. U.S. club Seattle Sounders beat Mexican side Pumas UNAM for the 2022 crown, becoming the first Major League Soccer team to win the competition.
The Sounders stand to bank some cash in the process.
CONCACAF Champions League prize money
The Sporting News contacted CONCACAF for confirmation of the 2022 tournament purse, but as of time of publication there is no official word on the official totals.
However, several outlets (AS, Goal, SB Nation, El Economista, MLS official club site) indicate that the winner of the CONCACAF Champions League takes home a one-time $500,000 cash prize. The runner-up leaves with a $300,000 consolation prize.
The two losing semifinalists also come away with a six-figure payout with the current payout structure established for the 2016-17 tournament.
2022 CONCACAF Champions League prize money breakdown
| Stage | Clubs | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | Seattle Sounders | $500,000 |
| Runner-up | Pumas UNAM | $300,000 |
| Semifinalists | NYCFC, Cruz Azul | $200,000 |
Prize money at FIFA Club World Cup
But there's also money that is forthcoming for participation in the FIFA Club World Cup, which unites all the regional club champions in a tournament to determine the best club team in the world.
The Seattle Sounders will be there. And while details of the next FIFA Club World Cup tournament are yet to be released, the February 2022 tournament (featuring 2021 regional champions) dished out the following prize money based on placement.
| Place | Prize money ($USD) |
| Winner | $5 million |
| Runner-up | $4 million |
| Third place | $2.5 million |
| Fourth place | $2 million |
| Fifth place | $1.5 million |
| Sixth place | $1 million |
| Seventh Place | $500,000 |
Prize money for other continental club competitions
By comparison, UEFA Champions League semifinalist Liverpool has banked nearly $92 million so far through group stage and knockout round results, and could end up with $97 million by winning the entire tournament. Those figures are fueled by global TV and media deals.
The Copa Libertadores winner this year pockets $22.5 million, and Asia's Champions League winner banks nearly $5 million.
The winner of the Oceania continental competition pays its winner the smallest amount of all the regions at $75,000.
