October 1: UEFA will distribute around €31.5 million to 611 clubs to release players during the 2024/25 Nations League, marking the first payment in its current Club Benefit Scheme cycle.
The money is part of the wider €244m pot linked to EURO 2028, agreed under the memorandum of understanding between UEFA and the European Football Clubs (EFC) first renewed in September 2023 and later extended until 2033.
Of this total, €104 million is allocated to clubs releasing players for the 2024/25 and 2026/27 Nations League campaigns and qualification for EURO 2028. A further €140 million will be distributed to clubs whose players take part in the final tournament.
The calculation is relatively simple. Clubs receive €3,845 for each eligible player’s appearance on a national team match sheet during Nations League and European Qualifying matches.
RB Leipzig will receive the biggest payout in this first round, with around €353,000 after releasing 16 players.
The rate has also increased. Clubs will receive a percentage increase for each eligible player named on a match sheet, compared to €3,659 in the previous cycle. It’s a small increase individually, but across hundreds of clubs and an expanding international calendar it adds up quickly.
The spread is also much wider than that of the biggest clubs in Europe. UEFA says 611 clubs from its 55 member associations will receive money, including a number of amateur teams, which is where it will make a real difference.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: “The Club Support Program recognizes the essential contribution that clubs make to the success of national team football.
“Through this programme, we distribute a share of UEFA EURO and UEFA Nations League revenue to clubs across Europe, both professional and amateur, in recognition of their role in developing players and unleashing their national teams. When football thrives, everyone benefits.”
EFC President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi said: “The club benefits program is a very important part of the UEFA-EFC strategic partnership. Its scale and impact are clear, with more than 600 clubs of all sizes benefiting from this first payment.
“It recognizes the essential contribution that clubs make to the international game, developing players and making them available to their national teams. We are very pleased to continue to strengthen this vital link between club and national team football.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at harry.ewing@insideworldfootball.com
