Solidarity payments to non-competing clubs: strengthening competitive balance across Europe

This year, a total of €308m in solidarity payments will reach clubs not participating in UEFA competitions, as part of our wider mission to help strengthen domestic football, support club development and promote greater competitive balance across the entirety of European football.

Below, we explain how the solidarity payment model works and why it's so important.

What are UEFA solidarity payments?

Solidarity payments ensure that revenue from our men’s club competitions benefits professional top-division clubs across the whole of European football – not only those taking part in the league phase of the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League.

These payments reach clubs not participating in any of our club competitions and teams that are eliminated in the qualifying rounds.

What has been confirmed for the 2025/26 season payments?

Based on sporting and financial results from our men’s club competitions, total solidarity payments will amount to €308m.

Non-participating clubs from associations outside the top five (based on UEFA five-year coefficients) will share a total of €258m, while the top five associations – England, Italy, Spain, Germany, France – each receive a fixed €10m payment.

How is the money distributed?

For associations outside the top five, 70% of the available total (€180.6m) is distributed according to each association’s position in the 2025/26 access list. The remaining 30% (€77.4m) is distributed through the competitive balance share, which we explain below.

What is the competitive balance share?

The competitive balance share is intended to make sure that clubs’ successes in our men’s club competitions also benefit other clubs from the same association at domestic level. To calculate the payments, the earnings of each association’s top-earning club that season are placed into a virtual pot, and each association receives a share of the available €77.4m in proportion to its best earning clubs’ contribution to that virtual pot.

Which clubs receive the money?

The funds are reserved exclusively for eligible top-division clubs that did not participate in the league phase of our 2025/26 men’s club competitions and are distributed equally among all eligible clubs. However, subject to certain conditions and with the agreement of the top-division clubs, second-division clubs may also benefit from a share of the allocation.

Since 2024, clubs have been obliged to meet minimum quality standards in order to help strengthen the foundations of the professional game and ensure youth development remains a priority.

To be eligible for solidarity payments, clubs must demonstrate the fulfilment of selected criteria from the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Sustainability Regulations.

These criteria have been introduced and further developed gradually, with the respective national associations managing the assessment and fulfilment as part of their usual club licensing process.

Why are solidarity payments so important?

These payments show that our elite men’s club competitions create value for the wider football ecosystem beyond the participating teams.

It is crucial for supporting competitive balance and raising standards in domestic football, as well as encouraging clubs to invest in youth development, infrastructure and standards of governance.

Has this support increased over time?

Yes. Since the introduction of solidarity payments for non-participating men’s clubs in 1999/2000, the amount distributed has risen from €32.9m to €308m per season in the current 2024-27 cycle, a 76% increase on the 2021-24 period.

What does this mean for European football?

It means that top-division clubs across Europe can benefit from the success of our men’s club competitions, even if they are not directly involved themselves during a specific season. By redistributing revenue more widely as part of the open structure of UEFA competitions, we can continue to strengthen the game across the continent and support a healthier and more competitive football ecosystem.