September 11 – European top-flight clubs have invested €870 million for youth development in 2020, according to a study by UEFA. With an average of €6.1 million per club, the Premier League clubs top the list.
The European governing body presented its findings after an overview of 950 training facilities used by 673 clubs across the continent.
It pointed at variation across the landscape with Scandinavian countries using hybrid pitches; German, Hungarian, Spanish and Swiss clubs spending on average more than €5 million on training facilities and all top-flight clubs in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, and Scotland having upgraded their facilities in the last ten years.
In this year alone, the clubs spent a total €870 million on youth development. The study listed the top ten countries by average club budget as follows, with the English top flight leading the table and Belgium, renowned for producing top talent, squeezing in at number ten, with a spend of €1.7 million per club on average.
England €6.1 million
Germany €5.3 million
France €4.7 million
Italy €4.6 million
Spain €3.4 million
Russia €2.8 million
Switzerland €2.7 million
Netherlands €1.9 million
Portugal €1.8 million
Belgium €1.7 million
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1712583139labto1712583139ofdlr1712583139owedi1712583139sni@o1712583139fni1712583139