The Union of European Clubs (UEC), representing over 140 non-elite teams from 25 countries, has unveiled a bold proposal to radically reshape how UEFA distributes nearly £4 billion (€4.4 billion) in annual revenue from its club competitions (Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League).Presented at the European Leagues general assembly in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Wednesday, the plan aims to dismantle mechanisms that favor Europe’s biggest clubs and promote greater competitive balance across domestic leagues and UEFA tournaments.
Key Changes in the UEC Proposal
Scrap the “Value Pillar”: Eliminate the 35% slice (€853m+ in recent cycles) that rewards clubs based on historical performance, coefficient rankings, and market size—disproportionately benefiting giants like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and PSG.
Redistribute Starting Fees Nationally: Boost starting fees to 62.5% of the prize pot, then pool and share them evenly among all professional clubs in each qualifying club’s domestic league (top tier and often second tier).
Eliminate Solidarity Payments: Remove the current 10% ring-fenced for non-participants, folding that money into the main prize pool (increasing it to ~€3.5bn).
Shift Competition Split: Change the prize money allocation from 74/17/9 (CL/EL/Conference) to 50/30/20, making lower-tier European competitions more financially rewarding.
Performance Remains Key: Clubs keep all performance-based earnings (wins, progression), but starting fees are redistributed domestically.
The UEC argues these reforms would slash top-to-bottom revenue ratios in analyzed leagues (e.g., Portugal from 80:1 to much lower, France from 40:1, Italy/Spain from 10:1) to an average of ~5.5:1, fostering more jeopardy, unpredictability, and commercial appeal.
Impact on Big Clubs vs. the Rest
Modeling based on recent seasons shows:
- Champions League regulars (e.g., PSG, Barcelona, Real Madrid) could see receipts halved (PSG from €149m to €78m).
- Europa League clubs remain roughly flat.
- Non-qualifiers and smaller domestic rivals gain significantly.
The UEC claims this would reduce polarization, prevent “stale and predictable” Champions League knockouts dominated by the same elite clubs, and boost overall interest in domestic and European football.