Plan presented to correct 'growing competitive balance' issues in UEFA

The Union of Europen Clubs (UEC) has urged UEFA to reconfigure its revenue sharing to benefit clubs that have not reaped the benefits otherwise enjoyed by the world's top teams.

The Player Development Reward, as proposed by the UEC, would set aside 5 percent of UEFA's $4.9 billion annual revenue to go toward European clubs based on minutes played in UEFA competitions and prize money earned by players they have trained earlier in their careers.

The 36 teams that qualify for the league phase of the Champions League would be ineligible for payments as those clubs already receive handsome payments in the form of prize money.

The lobby group has presented the plan to the European Commission, noting that the Player Development Reward would complement the already-in-place solidarity payments UEFA makes to clubs that do not participate in its competitions. The solidarity pot has increased

The UEC, which was set up in 2023 as a counterweight to UEFA's preferred club lobby group, the European Club Association (ECA), and believes PDR payments should complement, not replace, the solidarity payments that UEFA makes to clubs that do not participate in its competitions.

While solidarity payments are well-encompassing, benefiting hundreds of clubs and UEFA's 55 member associations, the UEC believes that they do not do enough to reward clubs who invest in developing talent. The group's president, Alex Muzio, told The Athletic that its plan could benefit "over 1,400 clubs" and "address growing competitive balance and representation issues."

"We acknowledge the proposal," a UEFA spokesperson said. "The solidarity system was reviewed with stakeholders (from) the European Club Association and European Leagues prior to the cycle's start and is now in its first year of operation. The matter will be raised when the time is due."