Barcelona heads 32-team draw for Champions League groups

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (R) gestures in front Sporting's Ismael Lopez during their Spanish first division soccer match at El Molinon stadium in Gijon, north of Spain, August, 23, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

New boys

Two newcomers to the Champions League groups or European Cup are in the draw.

Belgian champion Gent won its first national title in May to earn a direct place.

Astana came through qualifying rounds to debut as the first team from Kazakhstan in the group stage, and easily the lowest-ranked of the 32 by UEFA.

Prize money raise

The Champions League is not as lucrative as the English Premier League, but is doing just fine.

Booming broadcast rights deals let UEFA increase prize money by 33 percent for each of the next three seasons.

The 32 clubs will share more than 1.2 billion euros ($1.37 billion) in entry payments, results bonuses and shares of television money.

Each gets a basic 12 million euros ($13.1 million), and can earn 1.5 million euros ($1.71 million) for each win and 500,000 euros ($570,000) for draws. Prize money escalates in the knockout rounds.

The biggest earner of UEFA prize money this season should get around 80 million euros ($91.4 million), compared to 60 million euros ($68.5 million) during the previous three-year commercial cycle.

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