Some of the richest footballers on the planet are in UEFA Champions League action tonight, Tuesday 20 October 2026 — and the biggest names are all in the 20:00 kick-offs. Liverpool host Villarreal, Paris Saint-Germain face Barcelona and Manchester City play AEK Athens, with millions of pounds in wages and transfer value on the pitch in every game. One famous name will not be there, though. Mohamed Salah is not playing tonight: he left Liverpool at the end of the 2025-26 season after nine years and joined Trabzonspor in August 2026. Here, we rank five stars by estimated wealth, not hype.
Tonight’s Fixtures at a Glance
| Kick-off (UK) | Fixture |
|---|---|
| 17:45 | Sabah vs Borussia Dortmund |
| 17:45 | Fenerbahçe vs Slavia Prague |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs Villarreal |
| 20:00 | Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona |
| 20:00 | Manchester City vs AEK Athens |
| 20:00 | Roma vs Slovan Bratislava |
| 20:00 | Porto vs PSV Eindhoven |
| 20:00 | Napoli vs Bodø/Glimt |
| 20:00 | Stuttgart vs Atlético Madrid |
Tonight’s Champions League fixtures at a glance — three matches headline the 20:00 kick-offs in the UK.
The Ranking at a Glance
All net worth figures below are estimates from 2026 football rich lists. Where no estimate was used, we say so instead of inventing a number.
| Rank | Player | Club | Tonight’s Fixture | Estimated Net Worth | Market Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antoine Griezmann | Atlético Madrid | Stuttgart vs Atlético Madrid (20:00) | Around $120 million | Not listed here |
| 2 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | Manchester City vs AEK Athens (20:00) | Around $100 million | Around €220 million |
| 3 | Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain | Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona (20:00) | Estimate not used — see below | Around €100 million |
| 4 | Florian Wirtz | Liverpool | Liverpool vs Villarreal (20:00) | Estimate not used — see below | Around $158 million |
| 5 | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona (20:00) | Around $15 million | Around €220 million |
1. Antoine Griezmann — Atlético Madrid
Antoine Griezmann tops this list with an estimated net worth of around $120 million, reflecting a long career at the very top of European football. Tonight he is the headline name in Stuttgart vs Atlético Madrid at 20:00. For readers comparing football wealth with other sports, our breakdown of Luka Dončić’s net worth shows how NBA money compares.
2. Erling Haaland — Manchester City
Erling Haaland has an estimated net worth of around $100 million in 2026 rich lists, and he is the Premier League’s highest-paid player, with reported wages of over £500,000 per week. His market value is put at around €220 million by CIES and Transfermarkt estimates — more than double his estimated personal wealth. Tonight, he leads Manchester City against AEK Athens at 20:00.
3. Ousmane Dembélé — Paris Saint-Germain
Ousmane Dembélé is a Ballon d’Or winner, and his market value is put at around €100 million. We have not put a net worth figure against his name because the data used here focused on his value as a player, not an estimated personal fortune — and mixing the two up is exactly the mistake this ranking tries to avoid. Tonight, Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona at 20:00 is arguably the tie of the night, and Dembélé will be central to it.
4. Florian Wirtz — Liverpool
Florian Wirtz is Liverpool’s star name here, with a market value of around $158 million in the CIES US-dollar list. As with Dembélé, we are not attaching an estimated net worth figure to him, because the figures used measured his transfer value. Liverpool fans adjusting to life after Salah will watch him closely tonight against Villarreal at 20:00. See also how Caitlin Clark’s net worth compares.
5. Lamine Yamal — Barcelona
Lamine Yamal is the twist in this ranking. His market value is around €220 million, and CIES valued him highest in the world at €343 million in one 2026 list. Yet his estimated net worth is still modest, at around $15 million, because he is only 19. He has not yet had the years of huge wages and deals that turn value into personal wealth.
Market Value Is Not Net Worth
A player’s market value is an estimate of what a club might pay to sign him — money between clubs, not money in his bank account. Net worth is an estimate of what he has actually built up from wages, bonuses, sponsorships and investments. That is why Yamal can be valued at €220 million yet have an estimated net worth of around $15 million. Sport is full of fortunes made and lost — our story on how Mike Tyson lost a $300 million fortune shows earning it and keeping it are different things.
FAQ
Who is the richest footballer playing in the Champions League tonight?
On estimated net worth, Antoine Griezmann of Atlético Madrid tops this five-player ranking, at around $120 million. Erling Haaland is next, at around $100 million.
Why is Mohamed Salah not playing for Liverpool tonight?
Salah left Liverpool at the end of the 2025-26 season after nine years, joining Trabzonspor in August 2026 on a reported €17 million per season.
Why is Lamine Yamal’s net worth so much lower than his market value?
Because they measure different things. His market value, around €220 million, is what clubs might pay for him. His estimated net worth, around $15 million, reflects what he has earned so far — and at 19, his biggest earning years are ahead of him.
What time do tonight’s Champions League matches kick off?
Two matches kick off at 17:45 UK time. The rest, including Liverpool vs Villarreal, Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona and Manchester City vs AEK Athens, kick off at 20:00.
Final Thoughts
Tonight is a perfect snapshot of modern football money. Griezmann and Haaland lead on estimated personal wealth, Dembélé and Wirtz bring enormous market value, and Yamal shows why value and wealth are not the same thing. Add Salah’s notable absence, and the money story is almost as interesting as the football.
Sources and notes: Fixtures and kick-off times from TNT Sports fixture listings for Tuesday 20 October 2026. Market values from CIES Football Observatory and Transfermarkt. Net worth figures are estimates from 2026 football rich lists and are not official disclosures.
