Bayern exit early, but the money keeps rolling in | OneFootball

Bayern Munich's exit in the quarterfinals of the revamped 32-team FIFA Club World Cup came as a disappointment on the pitch, but the tournament delivered a significant financial boost to the club, according to Bavarian Football Works and data from SwissRamble.

Despite a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain that ended their hopes of another world title, Bayern walked away with €50 million ($58.2 million) in revenue—ranking fifth among all participating clubs. This figure placed them ahead of every other quarterfinalist, including arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund, who earned €45 million.

Bayern's campaign featured three victories, a scoring tally of 16 goals, and a single clean sheet, performances that helped maximize their earnings even without a deep run. The financial distribution at this edition signaled a notable shift: while both finalists, Chelsea and PSG, narrowly missed the €100 million revenue mark, it was the collective force of four Brazilian sides—Flamengo, Palmeiras, Fluminense, and Botafogo—that topped earnings with a combined €133 million.

For context, the tournament offered contrasting fortunes lower down the order. Auckland City finished as the lowest earners, collecting just €4 million. Meanwhile, Major League Soccer representatives failed to capitalize on home soil, averaging only €12 million per team despite midseason form and home advantage.

From Bayern’s perspective, the cash windfall offers some consolation following a tournament that also saw significant personnel changes. Veteran Thomas Müller and winger Leroy Sané made their final appearances for the club, signaling the end of an era, and Jamal Musiala sustained an injury that will rule him out for the remainder of 2025.

The stark differences in Club World Cup earnings underline the continuing commercial appeal of European powerhouses, but also reflect FIFA's broader efforts to reward global participation. For Bayern, their fifth-place finish on the financial leaderboard reinforces their stability off the pitch even as sporting ambitions took a hit.

(Sources: Bavarian Football Works, SwissRamble)