Manchester United handed £20m FFP boost after FA Cup final win
There was plenty of reason to celebrate as Man Utd defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
As far as weekends go, they don't get too much better than the one that has just passed for Manchester United fans.
On Saturday they watched their beloved side silence their critics with a deserved victory over noisy neighbours Man City to win the FA Cup. 24 hours later, they watched traditional rivals Leeds United lose in the Championship play-off final.
The dreamy weekend lifted the mood after a hugely disappointing season, but the issue for Erik ten Hag is that he will be judged on his 8th-place finish in the Premier League more than the FA Cup final win.
Ineos have began their season review as they decide what to do next with the Dutch manager, and he might point towards the £20 million boost he just handed them as a reason for him to stay.
United not only received £2 million rather than £1 million for winning the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon, but their success in the tournament also ensured they qualified for the Europa League, and they will benefit hugely from that.
It is estimated that taking part in the revamped Europa League league phase will bring in a guaranteed €4.31m, while clubs will also receive €450k per win and €150k per draw. Each team will play eight matches, so even if United only win half of those, and draw two they can expect roughly €2m extra in prize money. That figure would obviously grow even larger if they were successful in the tournament.
As well as that rough estimation of £5.39m in participation and basic prize money, United will now also benefit from hosting at least four more matches at Old Trafford next season. Figures from football finance expert Kieran Maguire earlier in the year, suggested United make roughly £3.3m in pure profit per home match day after the deducted costs of hosting the match. That's another £13.2m.
It can't be ignored that missing out on Champions League qualification was still a huge blow, but £20 million is still a significant boost to the club as they look to meet Financial Fair Play regulations and comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.