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SUNDERLAND WILL TAKE ON SHEFFIELD UNITED IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF FINAL AT WEMBLEY STADIUM ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON, AS THE TWO CLUBS COMPETE IN THE 'RICHEST GAME IN FOOTBALL'
08:30, 24 May 2025 Sunderland are preparing to take on Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final today (3pm) as they aim to achieve their Premier League dream. The Championship
play-off final is held at Wembley Stadium, and due to the money on offer for the winner, it is often referred to as 'the richest game in football.' Sunderland will hope to clinch
the final Premier League spot, following Leeds United and Burnley claiming automatic promotion as part of their 100-point race for the Championship title. Sheffield United finished third, 14
points clear of Sunderland in fourth, but both sides' hopes of returning to the top-flight come down to their Wembley clash. The Black Cats may feel promotion is written in the stars
after the unforgettable drama of their play-off semi-final victory against Coventry City, courtesy of Dan Ballard's last-second header in extra time at the Stadium of Light. Meanwhile,
Sheffield United cruised to the play-off final with back-to-back 3-0 wins over Bristol City.. For Sunderland, a win at Wembley would see the club return to the top-flight for the first time
since 2017, whereas Sheffield United are hoping to get back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, having been relegated last season. Let's take a closer look at
Sunderland's potential financial windfall, if they can win the play-off final. As per BBC Sport, Sunderland could pocket a record £220million, should they triumph against Sheffield
United at Wembley. A substantial chunk of this sum comes from the Premier League's new £6.7billion broadcast deal, which equates to an average of £83.75m per season for each top-flight
club. In addition to the television revenue, a victorious Sunderland would also receive commercial fees, facility fees, and merit payments. Should relegation occur, the play-off final winner
would also be entitled to parachute payments. The total sum of £220m is a significant increase from the £140m offered to last season's play-off winner, a decrease of £30m from recent
years. The previous record amount for a play-off final winner was £178m in 2021, which was won by Brentford. There will be scant consolation for the runner-up, who will receive £2m in their
share of gate receipts, with the same fee also going to the winner. To put it into perspective, the League One and League Two play-off final winners are expected to earn around £12m and £2m,
respectively. Winning the Championship play-off final would provide a monumental boost to Sunderland's finances, with the club having spent time in League One since they last played in
the Premier League. Meanwhile, Sheffield United's earnings would improve slightly less, as the Blades received parachute payments due to their relegation last season. Clubs relegated
from the Premier League receive parachute payments over three seasons, starting with 55 per cent of the broadcast revenue they would have received in the top-flight, gradually reduced to 45
per cent and then 20 per cent. However, teams are no longer entitled to parachute payments if they return to the Premier League. Article continues below If Sunderland were to reach the
Premier League, the club could boost their earnings by securing a higher position in the table. Despite all three promoted sides failing to maintain their status this season, 20th-placed
Southampton will earn £2.8m for their efforts, based on the Premier League's figures for last season's merit payments. The teams relegated in 18th and 19th positions stand to make
approximately £8.5m and £5.7m respectively this season. Finishing just above the relegation zone in 17th place carries a reward of around £11.3m, plus another year of Premier League
broadcast revenue. A dream top 10 finish would result in a massive £31m payment. JOIN OUR SUNDERLAND WHATSAPP COMMUNITY Join our Sunderland WhatsApp community for all the latest news
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