Championship play-off final prize money: Leeds and Southampton face off in Wembley showpiece dubbed ‘football’s richest match’

The Championship play-off final is often dubbed the ‘richest match in football’ and it will take center stage this afternoon.

At the end of a grueling 49-game season, promotion to the Premier League will be a team’s prize, but there’s more at stake than just top-flight action.

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Leeds United will face Southampton at Wembley in this year’s showpiece match, aiming to go straight back.

Reaching the promised land brings each club a huge injection of cash as well as the chance to play against some of the best in the world.

But how lucrative is it to reach England’s elite via the Wembley route? talkSPORT.com takes a look…

Championship play-off finals prize money

Winning the Championship play-off final is worth an incredible amount of money.

It is not the money received directly from winning the game, but rather the future profits that the successful club will receive that makes this game the “richest game in football”.

Ahead of the 2020 showdown between future Premier League rivals Fulham and Brentford, sports financial analysts Deloitte crunched the numbers.

They revealed that promotion would result in an increase in revenue of at least £135 million over the next three seasons for the triumphant club.

This could rise to £265 million over five years if the club avoids relegation in their first season in the Premier League.

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This remains the case in 2024 and Leeds face Southampton knowing that a victory would mean a gigantic financial boost for either club.

Much of that money will come from TV and commercial payments to play in England’s top flight.

Each club receives an equal payment as part of the domestic broadcast deals, bringing in a whopping £31 million just for their membership in the league.

The winning team is also likely to receive around £60 million from international deals as well as £1.2 million for each match shown live on television.

Southampton and Leeds were both relegated from the Premier League last season and still received over £100 million each.

So both teams already know the benefits of top-level football and an instant return will earn them that money.

Leeds vs Southampton: talkSPORT coverage

This year’s play-off final will be played on Sunday May 26 with kick-off at Wembley scheduled for 3pm.

talkSPORT will have live coverage from north London, with Adrian Durham as presenter.

Comments will come from Sam Matterface, former West Ham striker Dean Ashton and Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill.

To tune in to talkSPORT via the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, via your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Leeds vs Southampton: bet with talkSPORT BET

Match odds:

Leeds – 6/5

Draw – 23/10

Southampton – 10/19

*odds subject to change

Alan Brazil’s Bet Builder – Summerville scores, both teams score and over 2.5 goals – was 17/5 NOW 19/5

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