CHISINAU - UEFA has doubled its prize fund for the 2022 Women's European Championship to 16 mil euros (RM78.4 mil) with increased guaranteed payments for the 16 qualified teams.
European football's governing body says in a statement today that it has also approved the introduction of a programme, which will see teams that release players for the Euros rewarded with pay-outs from a 4.5-mil euro (RM22.06 mil) fund.
The decisions were announced following a UEFA executive committee meeting in Chisinau, Moldova, yesterday and the continental governing body adds that details of its financial distribution scheme would be made available soon.
The women's tournament, originally scheduled for this year but postponed by 12 months because of the Covid-19 pandemic, is set to take place in England from July 6 to 31, 2022.
UEFA also approved changes to its solidarity payment model for men's teams not participating in club competitions in the 2021-24 cycle, with full details to be announced soon.
It adds that there would be increased shares for all associations outside the top five − England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.
The move comes after UEFA had to fend off an attempt by 12 top European clubs earlier this year to form a breakaway European Super League.
Nine clubs − Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid − backed out and reached a deal with UEFA.
Changes were made to UEFA’s flagship Champions League competition with the approval of a new format from 2024-25 with 36 clubs and teams set to play four more matches.
UEFA said its latest decision reaffirms its strong financial commitment to the whole of European soccer.
It says the 4% solidarity for non-participating clubs − 140 mil euros (RM686.3 mil) based on projected revenue of 3.5 bil euros (RM17.15 bil) − will be boosted by 30% of revenue generated by club competitions above 3.5 bil euros up to a maximum of 35 mil euros (RM171.5 mil).
"As a consequence, a total of 175 mil euros (RM857.9 mil) is expected to be available from competition revenue for non-participating clubs, compared to 130 mil euros (RM637.3 mil) in the 2018-21 cycle,” UEFA adds in today’s statement.
"And the share reserved for the non-top five associations will increase to 132.5 mil euros (RM649.6 mil), which is around 50 mil euros (RM245.1 mil) more than with the previous scheme, representing a more than 60% increase." – Reuters, September 23, 2021
