UEFA Champions League and Europa League Revenue Distribution to Clubs
UEFA has detailed the revenue distribution model for clubs participating in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League, the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League, and the 2018 UEFA Super Cup, including solidarity payments for clubs in the qualifying stages. A substantial gross commercial revenue, estimated at €3.25 billion, was generated from these competitions.
From this impressive gross revenue of €3.25 billion, €295 million is allocated to cover organizational expenses, and 7% (€227.5 million) is designated for solidarity payments. The resulting net revenue, amounting to €2.73 billion, sees 6.5% reserved for European football development initiatives under UEFA, while the vast majority, 93.5%, is distributed among the participating clubs.
Based on these financial forecasts and allocations, a total of €2.55 billion is available for distribution to clubs in the 2018/19 season. Within this allocation, €2.04 billion is earmarked for clubs competing in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup, and €510 million for clubs participating in the UEFA Europa League. Furthermore, additional contributions from the UEFA Champions League clubs’ share are directed as follows:
- €50 million to augment the UEFA Europa League clubs’ share
- €10 million to bolster solidarity payments for clubs eliminated during the qualifying phases of both the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
UEFA Champions League
Play-off Stage Payments
A total of €30 million is allocated to clubs participating in the UEFA Champions League play-offs. Clubs eliminated at this stage each receive a fixed payment of €5 million. Winners of the play-offs do not receive a specific payment for this round, as their reward comes in the form of participation in the lucrative UEFA Champions League group stage.
Distribution for Group Stage and Onwards
The net revenue for clubs competing from the group stage onwards in the UEFA Champions League is forecast at €1.95 billion and is structured around four key pillars:
- 25% for starting fees (€488 million)
- 30% for performance-related fixed amounts (€585 million)
- 30% based on ten-year performance coefficient rankings (€585 million)
- 15% for variable amounts from the market pool (€292 million)
Starting Fees (€488 million)
Each of the 32 clubs that successfully qualifies for the UEFA Champions League group stage is guaranteed a starting fee of €15.25 million.
Fixed Performance Bonuses (€585 million)
Performance in the group stage is further rewarded with bonuses for each match: €2.7 million for a win and €900,000 for a draw. Undistributed draw amounts (€900,000 per draw) are pooled and redistributed among all group stage participants, proportional to their number of wins.
Reaching the knockout stages brings further financial incentives:
- Round of 16 qualification: €9.5 million per club
- Quarter-finals qualification: €10.5 million per club
- Semi-finals qualification: €12 million per club
- Final qualification: €15 million per club
- UEFA Champions League Winners: An additional €4 million
- UEFA Super Cup Qualification (for Champions League finalists): €3.5 million each, with the winner receiving an extra €1 million.
Coefficient Ranking (€585 million)
A new coefficient ranking system, based on club performance over the past decade, determines further revenue distribution. This ranking incorporates coefficient points earned during this period, along with bonus points for historical success in UEFA club competitions, including the UEFA Champions League/European Champion Clubs’ Cup, UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup, and the Cup Winners’ Cup. The total sum of €585.05 million is divided into ‘coefficient shares’, each valued at €1.108 million. The lowest-ranked team receives one share (€1.108 million), with an additional share added for each rank, culminating in the highest-ranked team receiving 32 shares (€35.46 million).
Market Pool (€292 million)
An estimated €292 million is allocated to the market pool, distributed based on the proportional value of each TV market represented by clubs in the UEFA Champions League group stage and beyond. Market shares are distributed amongst participating clubs from each association.
Half of each market’s value is distributed based on performance in the previous domestic championship. The distribution breakdown among clubs from a given association is as follows:
| 4 Teams | 3 Teams | 2 Teams | 1 Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions | 40% | 45% | 55% | 100% |
| Runners-up | 30% | 35% | 45% | |
| Third Place | 20% | 20% | ||
| Fourth Place | 10% |
- UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League titleholders not qualifying for the UEFA Champions League via their domestic league do not receive from the first half of the market pool.
- Titleholders qualifying via domestic league retain their assigned percentage based on their league finish.
The other half of each market’s value is distributed proportionally to the number of matches played by each club in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League.
If a club from an association with multiple UCL group stage representatives is eliminated in qualifying, 10% of that association’s market pool share is reallocated to the eliminated club.
The exact market pool distribution per club is finalized after contract completion and competition end, dependent on:
- Final market pool amount
- Composition of 2018/19 UEFA Champions League participants
- Number of clubs per association in the competition
- Domestic league finish of participating clubs
- Performance in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
Distribution for Group Stage and Onwards
The net amount for clubs from the group stage onward in the UEFA Europa League is forecast at €560 million, divided into four pillars:
- 25% for starting fees (€140 million)
- 30% for performance-related fixed amounts (€168 million)
- 15% based on ten-year performance coefficient rankings (€84 million)
- 30% for variable amounts from the market pool (€168 million)
Starting Fees (€140 million)
Each of the 48 clubs qualifying for the UEFA Europa League group stage receives a starting fee of €2.92 million.
Fixed Performance Bonuses (€168 million)
Group stage performance bonuses are awarded per match: €570,000 for a win and €190,000 for a draw. Undistributed draw amounts (€190,000 per draw) are pooled and redistributed among group stage clubs, proportional to their wins.
Group winners receive a €1 million qualification bonus each, and runners-up receive €500,000 each.
Knockout stage qualifications bring the following amounts:
- Round of 32 qualification: €500,000 each
- Round of 16 qualification: €1.1 million each
- Quarter-finals qualification: €1.5 million each
- Semi-finals qualification: €2.4 million each
- Final qualification: €4.5 million each
- UEFA Europa League Winners: An additional €4 million
- UEFA Super Cup Qualification (for Europa League finalists): €3.5 million each, with the winner receiving an extra €1 million.
Coefficient Ranking (€84 million)
Based on the ten-year ranking, €84 million is divided into ‘coefficient shares’, each worth €71,430. The lowest-ranked team receives one share (€71,430), and the highest-ranked team receives 48 shares (€3.42 million), with incremental shares for each rank.
Market Pool (€168 million)
An estimated €168 million is allocated to the market pool, distributed proportionally to the value of each TV market represented by UEFA Europa League clubs from the group stage onwards. Market shares are split among clubs from a given association.
Half of the global market pool (€84 million) is divided into shares for each national association with group stage representation. Each share, proportional to media rights market value, is divided among clubs based on prior domestic season performance. The distribution among clubs from an association is:
| 5 Teams | 4 Teams | 3 Teams | 2 Teams | 1 Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cup Winners | 30% | 40% | 40% | 60% | 100% |
| Team 2 | 17.5% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 100% |
| Team 3 | 17.5% | 20% | 30% | ||
| Team 4 | 17.5% | 20% | |||
| Team 5 | 17.5% |
- If a domestic cup winner doesn’t reach the Europa League group stage, the market pool is split equally among participating clubs from that association.
- Cup winners eliminated in Champions League qualifying and entering the Europa League are considered cup winners for distribution.
The other half of the market pool (€84 million) is divided by competition round:
- Group stage (40%) €33.6 million
- Round of 32 (20%) €16.8 million
- Round of 16 (16%) €13.4 million
- Quarter-finals (12%) €10.1 million
- Semi-finals (8%) €6.7 million
- Final (4%) €3.4 million
Each round’s share is further divided among national associations represented, proportional to media rights market values, and then equally among clubs from each association in that round.
Market pool distribution per club is finalized post-contracts and competition end, dependent on:
- Final market pool amount
- Composition of 2018/19 UEFA Europa League participants
- Number of clubs per association in the competition
- Domestic league results of participating clubs
- Performance in the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League
Solidarity Payments
Qualifying Phase Solidarity Payments
3% of overall gross revenue plus €10 million from UEFA Champions League clubs is allocated for qualifying round solidarity payments. Based on a €3.25 billion revenue forecast, €107.5 million will be distributed.
UEFA Champions League Qualifying Paths
Domestic champions not reaching the Champions League or Europa League group stage receive €260,000, plus qualifying round participation amounts.
Qualifying round participants not reaching UCL play-offs receive per round played:
- Preliminary round – €230,000
- First qualifying round – €280,000
- Second qualifying round – €380,000
- Third qualifying round – €480,000 (champions path eliminations only; league path eliminations enter Europa League group stage)
- No solidarity payments for play-offs as participants benefit from centralized phase distribution.
UEFA Europa League Qualifying Paths
Qualifying round participants receive per round played:
- Preliminary round – €220,000
- First qualifying round – €240,000
- Second qualifying round – €260,000
- Third qualifying round – €280,000
- Play-offs – €300,000 (eliminated clubs only). Play-off winners receive no solidarity payment but retain prior round payments.
Solidarity Payments to Non-Participating Clubs
4% of the overall gross revenue (€130 million forecast) is distributed to national associations/leagues for non-participating clubs.