2016/17 solidarity payments for youth development

European top-division clubs are receiving increased solidarity payments from UEFA this year for development of youth programmes. The payments are made from the revenue accrued in UEFA’s club competitions in the 2016/17 season.

• Table of payments

A total amount of €124.37m from the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League revenue – compared with €120.83m last year – is being made available for distribution to clubs via their respective professional leagues or national associations.

Of this total amount, 80% will be distributed to clubs of national associations and/or leagues with at least one club participating in the UEFA Champions League group stage, and 20% to national associations and/or leagues with no clubs taking part in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Clubs must use the payments for their youth development programmes and local community schemes.

Only clubs not participating in the group stage of either the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League in 2016/17 will be entitled to a share of these solidarity payments.

The following amounts are available for the 2016/17 season:

- 17 associations and/or leagues with participants in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League group stage (€99.49m, up from €96.66m in 2015/16);

- 37 associations and/or leagues without participants in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League group stage (€24.87m, up from €24.16m in 2015/16);

The payments are based on the distribution system introduced two years ago, agreed by UEFA in close cooperation with the European Club Association (ECA).

The solidarity share earmarked for youth development programmes in clubs not involved in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League group stage represents 5% of the two competitions’ overall gross revenue.

In addition, this distribution to national associations and/or leagues is no longer purely based on their market value. Under the new distribution arrangements, 60% of the available amounts will be distributed in equal shares among all national associations and/or leagues, and 40% will be distributed according to the value of the TV market of each association in the UEFA Champions League, which results in greater benefits for clubs from non-top associations.

In principle, the money should be shared equally between all top-division clubs not involved in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League group stages. Different distribution criteria may be approved, provided that they are based on defined youth training criteria.

Any club, in order to receive funding, must run an approved youth development programme in accordance with the national club licensing manual accredited by UEFA.