FA Cup prize money small change for Man United compared to £56m ulterior motive to beat Man City

While there will be no Champions League football for Manchester United next season, a win in the FA Cup Final against rivals Manchester City on Sunday afternoon would punch their ticket to the Europa League.

The curtain came down on a tumultuous Premier League campaign for Erik ten Hag and his side last weekend. United finished the season in eighth spot, eight points off a top-four finish that would have delivered the riches of Champions League football.

There is much riding on the Cup Final at Wembley for United when it comes to boosting the bottom line helping to alleviate a few Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) concerns that could hamper some of the summer transfer business that the club has planned. Victory today for United sees them book a place in the Europa League, while defeat will see them without any kind of European competition next season.

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The actual prize money for winning the FA Cup final sees the victors claim a £2million sum, while the defeated finalists take home £1m. Now the £2m isn’t going to change an awful lot for United, but what it unlocks in potential value for the Europa League can.

The UEFA revenue split between competitions changes as of next season after a bumper media rights package. The introduction of a new ‘Swiss model’ for the Champions League means additional games for those who have qualified for European football’s elite knockout competition, with the new format seeing the competition take the form of one league initially before knockout phases take place.

The Europa League benefits from the revenue boost to the