April 29 – Outlining a new financial model for the Women’s Champions League, UEFA will pour €24 million into the competition for redistribution to teams, the continental governing body announced on Wednesday.
The European confederation said that the sum, four times the current amount, will be distributed to women’s football in the new format of the Champions League that begins next season. UEFA said the increased money follows on the success of the separation of sponsorship and media rights sales from the men’s game for the competition.
Clubs in the group stage will receive a minimum of €400,000 with 23% of the entire pot available in solidarity payments to non-participating clubs. The extra funding draws on both the first-ever cross-subsidy from UEFA men’s club competitions to support the women’s game and investment by the ruling body.
“Today’s announcement represents a giant step forward for football,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. “The competition’s new financial distribution model will strengthen the entire professional women’s game across Europe.”
“It is also a perfect example of how the European sports model is central to the long-term development of football. The development of women’s football should not be driven by short-term gain but a long-term vision. Thanks to the solidarity payments at the heart of this project and the increased rewards, every last euro generated by the Women’s Champions League and even more will go back into the women’s game.”
From next season, all matches from the round of 16 onwards will be broadcast and/or streamed. UEFA will also introduce VAR for the competition.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713560475labto1713560475ofdlr1713560475owedi1713560475sni@o1713560475fni1713560475