New Prize Structure Announced: CAF Champions League Winners to Receive $6m

CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe has announced a significant financial boost for African club football, unveiling a $2 million prize hike for the continent’s premier competitions. 

Under the new structure, the winner of the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League will take home $6 million—a massive 50 percent increase over the previous payout.

For the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, the winning side will now collect $4 million, effectively doubling the prior reward with a 100 percent increase.

These latest enhancements come as part of a broader transformation under Motsepe’s five-year stewardship of CAF. 

The Champions League winner’s prize has grown from  $2.5 million at the start of his tenure to the current $6 million level – a total rise of 140 percent.

Meanwhile, the Confederation Cup champion’s payout has expanded even more dramatically, from $1.25 million to $4 million, equating to a 220 percent boost.

As a result of these changes, the total financial package including prize money and solidarity payments to African clubs now surpasses $42 million per season.

Persecondnews reports that this reflects a 114 percent improvement since Motsepe took office.

 By comparison, CAF provided only $18.8 million in overall club cash distributions back in 2021.

The increases align with Motsepe’s vision to elevate African club football to world-class standards. 

In August 2024, he introduced $50,000 payments for teams eliminated in the preliminary stages of both competitions.

This amount was subsequently raised to $100,000 in 2025, encouraging a historic participation level of 130 clubs from across the continent in the current 2025/26 season.

Prize money for Champions League champions has followed a clear upward trajectory – $2.5 million in 2021, USD 4 million in 2024, and now USD 6 million for 2026.

The Confederation Cup has seen parallel growth, moving from $1.25 million in 2021 to $2 million in 2024, before reaching $4 million in 2026.

The two-legged final for the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League is set for May 15 and May 24. 

The Confederation Cup final will take place over two legs between May 9 and May 16.