Bayern Munich win $2.5M prize at inaugural World Sevens Football, defeating Manchester United

LISBON—Bayern Munich have won the inaugural World Sevens Football (W7F) tournament in Estoril, Lisbon, defeating Manchester United 2-1 in the final.

Simi Awujo, who won the tournament’s breakout star award, put United ahead in the 14th minute with a sublime top corner finish. However, Momoko Tanikawa levelled the score in the second half before Sarah Zadrazil gave Bayern the lead with four minutes to go. Tanikawa took home the tournament’s Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards for most goals and most valuable player of the tournament.

In the semi-finals Bayern defeated Paris Saint-Germain 5-0, while United secured a 2-0 win over rivals Manchester City.

The three-day seven-a-side tournament’s format consisted of two 15-minute halves on a field half the size of an 11-a-side pitch with rolling substitutions and no offsides. It involved eight of the biggest European clubs with a $5million (£3.7m) prize pot.

As champions, Bayern take home $2.5million (£1.9m, €2.2m) in prize money, which is split 60-40 to the club and players, while runners-up Manchester United earned $1m. The winners’ cheque is roughly six times more than what the UEFA Champions League winners will earn $398,000, (€350,000, £294,000) on Saturday.

Such prize money will transform a club’s transfer window budget. For context, United’s total expenditure was $12m (£9m, €10.7m) for the 2023-2024 season.

“For any team who wins, it would do a lot,” said United head coach Marc Skinner earlier this week.

“First and foremost, the players are enjoying it and having a good time. If we then get to the point where we can win the prize money, then of course that can be huge for us as well. But more importantly, the players have to enjoy it and that’s exactly why we are here.”

United marked their on-pitch arrival with a human pyramid. Throughout their week, they have done the limbo, cartwheels and sporting charades while Munich pulled off a ten-pin bowling stunt.

World Sevens Football tournament was full of over-the-top entrances and celebrations, like Manchester United’s human pyramid (Gualter Fatia / World Sevens Football via Getty Images)

“It’s like when we were kids again,” said United captain Maya Le Tissier after their penalty shootout win against Paris Saint-Germain. “There’s no pressure, everyone is just laughing, having fun. I love to play it every day. These tournaments are sick.”

W7F is backed by co-founder Jennifer Mackesy, who is a minority owner of Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and is also part of Todd Boehly’s Chelsea ownership group. The Mackesys have confirmed $100million of investment over five years.

Plans are underway for an edition in North America in the November or December period. Co-founder Justin Fishkin described the U.S. market as “super important” and said “teams from Brazil, Mexico and the United States are ready to participate”.

(Top photo: Gualter Fatia / World Sevens Football via Getty Images)

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