Arsenal earned £1.7 million for winning the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, the largest financial prize in the history of women’s club football, after a 3-2 victory over Corinthians after extra time at Emirates Stadium.
The payout dwarfs the reward for last season’s Champions League triumph, with the $2.3 million prize nearly four times the 500,000 euros, around £430,000, collected for lifting Europe’s top club trophy.
The new competition brought together champions from six continents for the first time, with Arsenal entering the final as favourites but ultimately being pushed all the way by their Brazilian opponents.
In front of more than 25,000 supporters in north London, Olivia Smith gave Arsenal an early lead before Gabi Zanotti levelled for Corinthians. Lotte Wubben-Moy restored the advantage for Arsenal, only for the match to swing again late on when Vic Albuquerque converted a controversial penalty deep into injury time after VAR determined Gisela Robledo was fouled in the area despite Katie McCabe clearly getting the ball and the forward planting her leg in front of the defender.
The decisive moment came in extra time, when Caitlin Foord struck the winning goal at the near post.