England players get £2M for making it to Nations League semifinals after beating Croatia. GETTY IMAGES
England’s players won £2M ($2.6M) in prize money "in addition to the chance of winning a trophy" when the team beat Croatia to reach the semifinals of the Nations League, according to Matt Hughes of the LONDON TIMES. Manager Gareth Southgate also received a "personal six-figure bonus" for the side topping its group in the Nations League. UEFA has increased its prize fund since the draw for the inaugural tournament was made earlier this year, and the winners of each of the groups in League A will receive £2 million "as well as a place in next summer’s four-team finals." Before the win over Croatia, the FA had already banked £2M in appearance money for competing in the top tier of the Nations League. The winners of each semifinal will receive a further £3.1M ($3.98M), the losing finalist £4M ($5.1M) and the overall winner £5.3M ($6.8M), giving the FA the chance to make more than £9M ($11.6M) in prize money for only six matches. Some of that money "will make its way to the players via bonus payments related to their commercial appearances," although the final figure "will not be known until the end of the financial year" (LONDON TIMES, 11/17).
