Club licensing

Introduced in 2002 as a set of requirements clubs must meet to be eligible to participate in our competitions, UEFA's club licensing system has become the point of reference for good governance both within European football and other sports.

Over time, club licensing has become a critical component of each association's club development strategy as well as guiding individual clubs' decisions and operations.

Given that the game exists in a perpetual state of change, we regularly adapt our regulations to ensure they continue to promote good governance and development across all levels of the football pyramid. In May 2024, we published the tenth edition of our club licensing regulations for UEFA men's competitions and a second edition of equivalent regulations for UEFA women's club competitions.

The primary goal of our approach is to provide a transparent and efficient regulatory framework that guides the establishment and evolution of standards across all aspects of European football. The system is based on several fundamental principles, including:

Equal treatment

All clubs are subject to the same regulatory framework, regardless of their size or financial resources.

Subsidiarity

Our 55 member associations or their affiliated leagues act as the decision-makers when it comes to licensing clubs, with some flexibility allowed to take account of the local football environment.

As European football's governing body, we play a central role in:

• Establishing the regulations and minimum criteria;
• Training and educating national associations and clubs;
• Assisting them to ensure the system is properly applied;
• Developing the regulatory framework in consultation with our stakeholders, to ensure it continually adapts to the ever-changing European football landscape.

How does club licensing work?

UEFA's licence is essentially a certificate confirming that a club fulfils all minimum criteria required for admission to our club competitions. All clubs that qualify through their domestic competitions must be granted a licence before they can play an official UEFA match.

As the licensor, the association (or national league) assesses each applicant and submits its decisions to UEFA by a set deadline (usually 31 May). Licensors can also apply their own regulatory system to govern participation in domestic competitions.

Club Licensing Quality Standard

The 2022 edition of the UEFA Club Licensing Quality Standard sets the minimum requirements that licensors must meet in order to operate our club licensing system. Compliance is assessed annually by an independent certification body, approved by UEFA.

The standard continuously improves licensing and monitoring processes by focusing on:

• The credibility and smooth running of both the club licensing system and club monitoring processes;
• The correct application of the core process, the deadlines, the catalogue of sanctions and the consequences of a licence refusal;
• Compliance with the principle of independence, confidentiality and equal treatment of all licence applicants and licensees.

UEFA men's club competitions

In May 2024, our Executive Committee approved new club licensing regulations. Like the nine previous editions, this latest evolution includes new or updated requirements based on our regular reviews of the wider sporting and economic landscape.

The regulations, which are overseen by our Club Licensing Committee, cover six areas of football governance – sporting, social and environmental sustainability, infrastructure, personnel and administrative, legal and financial – and set the following objectives:

• Further promote and continuously improve the standard of all aspects of football in Europe, prioritising the training and welfare of young players at every club;
• Promote participation in football and contribute to the development of women's football;
• Ensure clubs have adequate level of management and organisation;
• Adapt clubs' sporting infrastructure to provide players, spectators and media with suitable, well-equipped and safe facilities;
• Protect the integrity and smooth running of the UEFA club competitions;
• Safeguard each club's identity, history and legacy;
• Encourage cooperation between licensors and clubs;
• Support the development of benchmarking for clubs in each of the six areas covered by the regulations;
• Embrace social and environmental sustainability in football;
• Promote a healthy relationship between clubs and supporters, ensuring everyone can access the game in a safe and secure environment.

UEFA women's club competitions

In May 2024, our Executive Committee approved licensing regulations for UEFA women’s club competitions, an update of the first fully independent club licensing regulations for the UEFA Women's Champions League introduced in 2022.

We have introduced these regulations to raise standards and professionalise women's football in Europe. Their areas of focus and objectives are:

• Further promote and continuously improve the standard of all aspects of football in Europe, prioritising the training and welfare of young players at every club;
• Promote participation in football and contribute to the development of women's football;
• Ensure clubs have an adequate level of management and organisation;
• Adapt clubs' sporting infrastructure to provide players, spectators and media with suitable, well-equipped and safe facilities;
• Protect the integrity and smooth running of UEFA club competitions;
• Safeguard each club's identity, history and legacy;
• Encourage close cooperation between licensors and clubs;
• Support the development of benchmarking for clubs for each of the six areas covered by the regulations;
• Embrace social and environmental sustainability in football;
• Promote a healthy relationship between clubs and supporters, ensuring everyone can access the game in a safe and secure environment

UEFA Club Licensing Benchmarking Report

Continuously monitoring European club football's evolution requires access to a large amount of data, particularly on club finances. Each season, we share this information with the wider European football community by publishing UEFA's Club Licensing Benchmarking Report.

This provides a comprehensive analysis of domestic and UEFA competitions, incorporating a unique overview of clubs' financial strength. It also helps to guide our club licensing system.

Key updates

Live 15/02/2024

Record revenue highlighted in new-look UEFA Club Finance and Investment Landscape Report

UEFA has released the new European Club Finance and Investment Landscape Report, its licensing benchmarking report on European club football.

Live 07/04/2022

UEFA Executive Committee approves new financial sustainability regulations

Executive Committee approves first major reform since 2010.

Useful resources

Club Licensing Quality Standard

UEFA Club Licensing Quality Standard (2022)

UEFA Club Licensing Quality Standard (2012)

Club licensing reports

The UEFA Club Licensing System: Overview of implementation and application across Europe

Club Licensing: 10 years on (2015)

Club Licensing Benchmarking Reports

European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report (2024)

The European Club Talent and Competition Landscape (2023)

Club Licensing Benchmarking report (2023)

Club Licensing Benchmarking report (2022)

Club Licensing Benchmarking report (2021)