UEFA has confirmed a £205m compensation fund for clubs releasing players to international tournaments, with the first £27m payment due this week. The governing body's Club Benefits Programme covers player participation in the 2024-25 and 2026-27 Nations League and the full Euro 2028 qualifying and finals process.
Most of the fund, £120m, is reserved for clubs whose players reach the European Championship finals. The remaining £89m is divided among clubs with players involved in Nations League matches or Euro qualifiers. A payment of £27m for the 2024-25 Nations League cycle is scheduled for distribution this week, UEFA said in a statement.
How the payments work
Clubs are paid on a per-player, per-match basis for Nations League and Euro qualifying games, switching to a per-player, per-day rate for the tournament finals. The flat rate for each player named on a squad list for a qualifying or Nations League match is £3,285, a five per cent increase on the previous four-year cycle.
Manchester United and Premier League context
Manchester United released five players for the 2026-27 Nations League, which could qualify the club for payments under the scheme. Payment, however, depends on those players being named on official match team sheets. Premier League clubs have released varying numbers of players, with Liverpool topping the list with 17. The club's current league position, 12th with five points from five games, provides a backdrop of on-pitch challenges as off-field financial mechanisms like this one operate. For United, the financial news arrives as the team handles a difficult start to the domestic season, having conceded 12 goals in their first five Premier League matches. This defensive record is among the leakiest in the division, a stark contrast to the structured financial inflows from UEFA. The team's current form, with just one win in their last five outings across all competitions, adds pressure ahead of their upcoming fixtures.
While the direct financial impact on United is not yet calculable, the broader system is significant. UEFA stated that 611 clubs will benefit from this cycle, a figure expected to rise above 900 once the full Euro 2028 tournament is included. RB Leipzig is set to receive the largest payment from the 2024-25 Nations League fund, earning £302,000 for releasing 16 players. The distribution shows the global reach of the programme, with clubs from across UEFA's member associations set to share in the fund. For fans tracking contributions, the club's official squad page details which players are regularly called up for international duty.
A similar compensation scheme exists for the women's game, with over £3.7m allocated to 221 clubs after the 2025 Women's Euros. UEFA encourages clubs to use those funds for developing women's football. For Erik ten Hag's side, the immediate focus returns to the Premier League and a home fixture against Tottenham on 10 October, a match where improving their defensive solidity will be most important. Supporters will be keen to see if any adjustments are reflected in the team's stats following the international break.
