The UEFA Club Benefits Programme has confirmed the allocation of funds to be distributed to clubs across the 55 Member Associations within the European football family, including a number of Maltese clubs who have had players called up to the men’s national squad during UEFA competitions.
The funds cover a four-year cycle between 2020-2024 during which Malta took part in two editions of the UEFA Nations League (UNL) and one European Championship qualifying campaign.
14 Maltese clubs have accumulated a total sum of €1.2 million during this cycle, with the payments allocated according to an established distribution model as indicated in the table below.
Commenting on the UEFA Club Benefits Programme following today’s announcement by UEFA, Bjorn Vassallo, the President of the Malta FA, said: “It is very satisfying to see an increased level of solidarity towards local football. Thanks to the players who are called up to the men’s senior national squad for matches from UEFA competitions, the respective clubs are receiving substantial funds which help to sustain their investment in the growth of the game.
“In a matter of years, the Malta Football Association has managed to create important revenue streams for the clubs, and this is largely due to our active participation at UEFA level as well as the strategic decisions taken by the Association to enhance our clubs’ commercial autonomy.
“It is also encouraging to see that part of these funds will be distributed to clubs that are not part of the upper tier of Maltese football but are nonetheless an integral part of the domestic football pyramid.”
Vassallo reiterated the Association’s resolve to create new financial assistance schemes for clubs in the lower divisions. “The Association is actively working to help smaller clubs that were financially impacted by the loss of solidarity payments following the agreement entered between UEFA and the ECA,” the Malta FA President said.
“We are looking at new financial assistance programmes that would allow clubs in the lower divisions to keep investing in the youth sector. This work is also intended to ensure that none of our affiliated members fall behind.”
In the meantime, the clubs who will be receiving funds through the UEFA Clubs Benefits Programme, now in its third cycle, range from elite to amateur level. This principle is also reflected in the payments distribution for Maltese clubs.
UEFA Club Benefits Programme
Malta – €1,240,401
Balzan FC – €40,249
Birkirkara FC – €171,973
Sirens FC – €14,636
Floriana FC – €87,816
Gudja United FC – €3,659
Gżira United FC – €47,567
Ħamrun Spartans FC – €307,356
Hibernians FC – €234,176
Marsaxlokk FC – €10,977
Żabbar St Patrick FC – €7,318
Santa Lucia FC – €25,613
Sliema Wanderers FC – €84,157
Valletta FC – €193,927
Żejtun Corinthians FC – €10,977