Championship play-off final: How much is winning Premier League promotion decider worth?
- The Championship play-off final is often described as football's most lucrative match
- Luton Town earned promotion via the play-offs last season
- Leeds and Southampton are the two sides competing at Wembley this year
Every season clubs in the second-tier of English football try desperately to reach the promised land of the Premier League.
It is not just the sporting glory that motivates them either, although that's pretty nice. Securing passage into the top-flight also comes with lavish financial reward, with the Championship play-off final regularly being dubbed the most lucrative game in football.
But just how much will this year's showpiece event to Wembley? 90min takes a look...
The 2023/24 Championship play-off final
With the semi-finals of the 2023/24 Championship play-offs having come to a conclusion, this season's final sees two recently relegated Premier League clubs fighting for their return to the glitz and glamour of the top flight.
Leeds United, who were relegated from the Premier League in the 2022/23 season, conquered Norwich City over two legs in their play-off semi, with Daniel Farke getting one over on his former employers. On the south coast, Southampton, who were relegated with Leeds, dispatched of West Bromwich Albion.
The two have set a date in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 26 May at 15:00 BST, with the winner joining Leicester City and Ipswich Town in the top tier next season.
How much does the Championship play-off winner earn
There is no denying that winning the Championship play-off final can net a club hundreds of millions of pounds. However, putting an exact figure on the game's worth can be challenging.
Back in 2020, football-finance experts Deloitte estimated that the 2020 iteration was worth an increase of around £130m in revenue, should the winning team manage to avoid relegation the following campaign.
But that total has increased in recent years and it now estimated that the play-off winner will earn between £140m to £300m. That, of course, depends on how long either Leeds or Southampton stay in the Premier League - the longer, the better.
After all, Premier League clubs earn just under £100m each in both domestic and international broadcast revenue, with an extra £1.2m per game shown live on TV. If a promoted side can become a Premier League regular, that consistent income can be revolutionary.
Parachute payments
Another reason that the Championship play-off final is so lucrative is parachute payments. These fees are paid to a relegated club over three seasons.
As per the Premier League website, this: "....allows clubs to invest in their teams, and wider operations, in the knowledge that should they be relegated they have provisions in place to re-adjust their finances."
Parachute payments extend the benefits of reaching the Premier League for longer if a team goes straight back down to the second tier.
READ MORE ON THE PLAY-OFF HUNT ACROSS THE EFL
manual