UEFA announces increase in support for European football development projects

UEFA underlined its commitment to safeguarding European football from the ongoing economic crisis on Wednesday with a decision to significantly increase future funding for development projects run by its member associations.

Addressing the governing body's 46th Congress in Vienna, general secretary Theodore Theodoridis announced that an additional €160m (+21%) will be allocated to the sixth cycle of UEFA's highly successful HatTrick development programme.

Every four years, HatTrick distributes revenue from the European Championships to all 55 UEFA member associations for investment in infrastructure and development projects.

"This means that we can deliver more investment in football development through our member associations," said Theodoridis.

Čeferin: 'Football is the winner'

"While the business world and football economy are shaken by crisis after crisis, UEFA today solemnly pledges to increase solidarity payments to its member associations for the next cycle, in particular through the HatTrick programme, as well as its payments to clubs, whether they qualify for its competitions or not, football is the winner," added UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin during his address to Congress.

Sport's largest solidarity initiative

Considered one of the largest solidarity initiatives in sport, the HatTrick programme benefits all levels of the footballing pyramid – from building new training grounds for national teams and running coach and referee courses to growing grassroots and women's football.

UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis gave an overview of the extra funds available for investment in development projects

Wednesday's announcement, approved by UEFA's Executive and Finance Committees, means Europe's football associations will each receive €17m during the new funding cycle.

"We are convinced that higher investment in football, and especially in women's football, will ultimately be very beneficial to the game," said David Gill, UEFA treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee.

Securing the future of the game

In April 2020, UEFA lifted conditions governing the distribution of HatTrick to allow associations to invest up to 30% of the total amount available during the 2020–24 funding cycle – equivalent to €4.3m each – in activities affected by the pandemic. Numerous football associations used the support to secure the immediate future of their national game.

“When UEFA not only honours all its solidarity payments during an economic crisis the likes of which we have never experienced before, but manages to make the payments in advance to take some of the pressure off struggling national associations and clubs, football is the winner," added Mr Čeferin.

For the good of the game

In total, UEFA reinvests over 97% of its revenue back into football, spending less than 3% of its total revenue on governing expenses.

Approximately two-thirds is distributed to the more than 200 clubs competing in UEFA men's club competitions. In addition, from 2020–2024, €1.2bn will be invested in football development. This covers the cost of 13 UEFA competitions focused on growing the men's and women's games as well as funding the HatTrick programme.