Cardiff City's massive promotion windfall revealed as major project to get green light The Bluebirds' promotion back to the Championship will see a big financial boost come into the club Comments Sport Glen Williams 14:37, 21 Apr 2026 Updated 14:38, 21 Apr 2026 View 2 Images Brian Barry-Murphy, Cardiff City Manager picks up Callum Robinson after securing promotion back to the Championship (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd) Cardiff City’s return to the Championship is set to trigger a major financial windfall which could help reshape the club's future both for the short and long term. The Bluebirds sealed promotion in style with a convincing 3-1 win over Reading last weekend, and while the celebrations will continue, attention has already turned to what that success means moving forward. In simple terms, it means a huge cash injection, but it will also see a major project resume and the squad's value rise significantly. BUY YOUR BLUEBIRDS' PROMOTION COPY OF THE SOUTH WALES ECHO AND WALES ON SUNDAY HERE The financial swing The difference between League One and the Championship is stark. Clubs in the second tier are estimated to bring in somewhere between £9.5million and £12.5million per season through a combination of broadcast revenue, basic awards, international TV rights and Premier League solidarity payments. By contrast, League One clubs typically generate in the region of £2million to £2.4million from those same streams. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community . That means Cardiff ’s promotion could be worth an immediate uplift of around £7million to £10million annually, a big swing which transforms the club’s financial outlook almost overnight. It is a reversal of the grim picture which loomed just a year ago, when relegation would have slashed income, reduced the club’s overall value and forced significant cost-cutting measures. It also emphasises the importance of being able to bounce back at the first possible opportunity. Cardiff now find themselves back in a division where revenues are far stronger and the commercial pull significantly greater. JOIN OUR CARDIFF CITY FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest news, analysis and much more Training ground boost One of the most important knock-on effects of that improved cash flow is the likely resumption of work on the club’s new training ground. Construction had begun at Hensol last year, with Cardiff long intent on developing their own state-of-the-art base rather than continuing to share facilities with the Football Association of Wales. However, amid financial uncertainty and the threat, and eventual reality, of dropping into League One, work was halted as the club prioritised its spending. Promotion changes that equation. With increased revenue streams now secured, Cardiff are expected to be in a position to restart the project, which had originally been targeted for completion ahead of the 2026/27 season. The development is viewed internally as a key long-term investment, not just in infrastructure, but in the club’s ability to attract and develop talent. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here . View 2 Images First pictures of Cardiff City's new training facility at Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan (Image: x.com/Sky Sports Football) Rising asset value There are further financial positives, too. Promotion to the Championship typically leads to an increase in player valuation, by anywhere between 20 to 40 percent by some estimates, with those performing at a higher level naturally commanding greater market worth. At time of writing, this current crop of Cardiff first-team players have a squad value of £28.2m, not including the young talents out on loan or within the academy waiting to emerge. That could see City's squad value rise to anywhere between £34m and £40m, using the 20 to 40 percent metric. That is particularly relevant for a Cardiff squad packed with young, emerging talent, who could arguably already command far more significant sums than what Transfermarkt suggest. Players such as Yousef Salech, Dylan Lawlor, Ronan Kpakio, Joel Colwill, Rubin Colwill and Cian Ashford — along with more established figures like Will Fish, Alex Robertson and Ollie Tanner — are all likely to see their market values rise simply by virtue of competing in the Championship. Article continues below That, in turn, strengthens the club’s balance sheet and provides greater flexibility in the transfer market, whether Cardiff choose to sell or, more likely, build. *Sign up to our daily Bluebirds newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here . Cardiff City correspondent Glen Williams is also on social media. He can be found on his X account here , on Instagram , on TikTok and on Facebook .
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: www.walesonline.co.uk