Arsenal made Champions League history even though they lost the final to PSG.
Arsenal set a new Champions League record for a British club, even though they lost the final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. The Gunners fell 4-3 in the shootout after a 1-1 draw through extra time. Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes missed their penalty kicks.
Kai Havertz put Arsenal ahead early, scoring in the sixth minute past PSG’s goalkeeper Matvey Safonov. But PSG’s Ousmane Dembele equalized with a penalty in the 65th minute after Cristian Mosquera fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
It wasn’t the finish Arsenal hoped for after winning the Premier League, but they fought hard in Budapest. Both teams had chances to win, and Arsenal felt they deserved a penalty in extra time when Nuno Mendes fouled Noni Madueke, but the referee didn’t give it.
Arsenal’s players were heartbroken after losing the shootout, but midfielder Declan Rice said he’s proud of the team. “What a season,” he said. “It’s been amazing. I can’t say enough good things about everyone.” Manager Mikel Arteta added, “If I said thank you a million times to the players, it still wouldn’t be enough.”
Even though they lost, Arsenal didn’t lose any matches in normal time all season during their Champions League run. This helped them earn a huge amount of prize money—a record for a British club in the competition. According to The Athletic, Arsenal made about €143 million (around £125 million) in prize money.
PSG, the winners, earned about £127 million, which is £2 million more than Arsenal. Liverpool, who lost to PSG in the quarter-finals, earned the fourth-highest prize money at £95.3 million, more than semi-finalists Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.
At the other end, new teams like Kairat Almaty earned around £16.7 million for their first Champions League appearances.
The exact numbers will be confirmed later in 2026 when UEFA releases official figures. About a third of the prize money (£788 million) is paid based on performance this season, while the rest (£744 million) is awarded based on a club’s past five years’ results, called the coefficient ranking.
Liverpool is currently the highest-ranked English team in fourth place, behind Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and PSG. Arsenal is seventh, and other English clubs in the top 20 include Chelsea (12th), Aston Villa (17th), and Tottenham (19th). Manchester United dropped to 21st as they didn’t play in European competitions this season, but they have a chance to move back into the top 20 next year after qualifying for the Champions League by finishing third in the Premier League.