In 2021, we approved far-reaching changes to the financial distribution models for both our premier women’s national team competition and the UEFA Women’s Champions League. These changes helped to accelerate progress towards three of the goals set by our 2019–24 women’s football strategy, Time for Action:
- Double the visibility and commercial value of the Women’s Champions League and Women’s EURO
- Double the number of women and girls playing football in our member associations to 2.5 million
- Improve perceptions of women’s football across Europe
What is UEFA’s financial distribution model?
Our financial distribution models are a mechanism through which UEFA club and national competition revenues, derived from the sale of centralised sponsorship and media rights, and in some cases ticket sales, are reallocated. Net earnings are divided among competing teams in the form of reward payments, and among non-competing teams in the form of solidarity payments.
National teams
The new financial distribution model introduced for UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 in England set new standards for women’s national team competitions by doubling the prize money on offer and introducing the first-ever club benefits programme.
Prize money
Women’s EURO 2022 prize money totalled €16 million – double the amount available at the previous edition in 2017. Such a significant rise was made possible by the increase in our overall investment in the competition.
We used two criteria to allocate rewards to competing teams:
- Equal distribution: 60% of the total amount available
For Women’s EURO 2022, this equated to €9.6 million and was divided equally among all 16 participating national associations, regardless of their performance in the final tournament.
- Tournament performance: 40%
This amounted to €6.4 million in 2022, with distribution calculated according to group stage results and performances in the knockout rounds.
Club benefits programme
Women’s EURO 2022’s distribution model also channelled revenue back into the club game via a club benefits programme, mirroring a model that has been in place for the men’s EURO since UEFA EURO 2008.
The programme compensates clubs for releasing their players to compete in the Women’s EURO, recognising their contribution to the long-term success and popularity of the sport. In 2022, over €4.3 million was paid to 221 clubs from 17 different associations whose players appeared in the tournament. We also encourage clubs to reinvest the redistributed funds for the benefit of the sport.
Clubs
In 2019, we announced a significant overhaul of the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the 2021–25 cycle to enhance its visibility, competitive balance and attractiveness to sponsors, broadcasters and the general public.
As part of a new regulatory framework approved for the competition in April 2021, we introduced a pioneering financial distribution model that is projected to redistribute a total of €24 million each season to competing and non-competing clubs. Four revenue streams account for this quadrupling of overall earnings compared with the previous cycle:
- The sale of centralised commercial and media rights, which has also significantly increased the competition’s global visibility.
- Ticket sales for the Women’s Champions League final
- UEFA direct investment from our ordinary budget
- The first-ever cross-subsidy from UEFA men’s club competitions to support the women’s game, supported by the European Club Association.
Increased rewards
Thanks to the increased revenue, every club that qualifies for the Women’s Champions League now receives significant rewards, whatever stage they reach. For the 2023/24 group stage, each club is guaranteed a minimum of €400,000. Bonuses are paid for wins, draws and winning the group, with additional payments linked to qualification for subsequent rounds.
Distributions to the 16 clubs taking part in the centralised phase (i.e. from the group stage onwards) account for 48% of the total, equating to €11.5 million. Based on results, the competition winner can earn up to €1.4 million.
A further 29%, or €7 million, is distributed to clubs eliminated in the non-centralised qualifying phase.
Solidarity payments
Like our men’s club competitions, we ensure that the competition’s financial success benefits the wider European game by making solidarity payments to non-competing clubs. This funding must be reinvested in the development of women’s football, helping to level the playing field between clubs, leagues and associations and fostering a more competitive balance.
Since 2021/22, associations represented by at least one club in the Women’s Champions League have been eligible for these payments to distribute equally among non-participating clubs. The amount paid to each association is based on the performances of their competing club(s).
In 2022/23, solidarity payments amounted to 20% of the total amount available through the competition’s financial distribution model.
Source: Women’s competitions
