(Credit: Manh Tung - Breaking Media)

James Murray

Sun 12 April 2026 7:45, UK

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Aston Villa are expected to earn up to £5million from their pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich, sources have told Football Insider.

The Premier League club have confirmed they will take on the Bundesliga champions at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on 7 August.

It will be the first time Villa have visited Hong Kong for 15 years, having travelled to the US and Australia for pre-season tours in recent years. 

The West Midlands giants are hoping to announce further fixtures in the Far East as well as domestic pre-season friendlies as part of their preparations for the 2026-27 campaign.

Villa are set to benefit financially from their trip to Hong Kong, with sources revealing the game against Bayern Munich is likely to be worth around £4-5m. 

How Aston Villa are well placed to qualify for Champions League

Unai Emery’s side undertook a pre-season tour of the US last summer, where they played three matches in Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee. 

Those preparations appear to have paid off after they have so far enjoyed an excellent campaign domestically and in Europe. 

Villa currently sit fourth in the Premier League table, putting them in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League, with five places on offer for top-flight clubs again this season. 

Meanwhile, the Villans are well placed to make it through to the semi-finals of the Europa League.

They secured a 3-1 victory over Bologna on Thursday (9 April), with the second leg taking place at Villa Park on 16 April.

If Villa can win the second-tier competition, that would earn them automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League. 

How Champions League qualification would impact Aston Villa

It would provide a considerable boost to Villa’s finances if they can secure a return to the Champions League over the coming weeks.

While the Europa League offers reasonable prize money, it is significantly lower than the rewards on offer in European football’s elite club competition. 

Villa’s turnover increased dramatically from £276m in 2023-24 to £378m after reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season.

They are now preparing to take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday (12 April) before attention turns back to their Europa League campaign next week.