Football: UEFA to distribute €70M to clubs

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ANKARA (AA) – Due to the financial strains from the coronavirus pandemic, UEFA will pay €70.4 million ($75 million) to 676 clubs to send their players to UEFA national team competitions, European football’s governing body said Thursday.

''The UEFA Executive Committee today decided to release immediately the club benefit payments related to the clubs' contribution to UEFA national team competitions in light of the current crisis and the financial difficulties many clubs are facing across Europe,'' UEFA said in a statement.

UEFA added that the payments are supposed to be made after EURO 2020 playoffs, but it decided to make the payments immediately since the clubs are ailing financially due to the virus.

''€50m will go to clubs having released players for the 39 national teams not involved in the European Qualifiers play-offs and €17.7m will go to clubs having released players for the 16 national teams taking part in the European Qualifiers play-offs (not including payments for the play-off matches, which will be paid on completion of the play-offs),'' it said.

The remaining €2.7 million – related to players sent for the playoffs – will be paid after those matches will take place in the autumn.

''676 clubs from the 55 UEFA member associations will receive amounts ranging from €3,200 up to €630,000 for their contribution to the European Qualifiers and the UEFA Nations League for the 2018-20 period,'' UEFA added.

In addition to this payment, UEFA will also distribute more €130 million to clubs to send their players to UEFA EURO 2020, now postponed until 2021.