UEFA appoints Working Group to enhance long-term sustainability of European football

The UEFA Club Licensing Committee, chaired by UEFA Vice-President Gabriele Gravina, gathered today at the House of European Football in Nyon to address a range of topics related to club licensing and financial sustainability. With growing consensus among stakeholders that financial sustainability is critical to the future of European football, the committee stressed the need to implement UEFA’s regulatory frameworks consistently and to further enhance them if necessary.

Recent transactions in European club football have raised questions about the consistent implementation of the new UEFA Financial Sustainability Regulations. In response, the committee proposed amendments to the regulations regarding the accounting of transfer operations to prevent abusive practices and ensure equal treatment.

In addition, the committee agreed to explore new ways to enhance the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of European football. To achieve this, a specialised Working Group was appointed to analyse the impact of national taxes and social charges in various jurisdictions to develop effective and equitable cost control mechanisms. It will also examine the feasibility of specific measures that would supplement the existing squad cost rule, with the aim to enhance cost control, promote the development of young players and foster a better redistribution of resources.

The composition of this inclusive Working Group was decided today by the UEFA Club Licensing Committee and comprises a total of 11 representatives coming from National Associations, the European Club Association, European Leagues, FIFPRO Europe and Football Supporters Europe. The involvement of the entire football family ensures that the Working Group will provide valuable insights and recommendations to guide the development of fair, transparent and balanced measures for a healthy European football ecosystem. These proposals will be presented for further discussion and consideration at the next UEFA Executive Committee meeting to be held on 28 June 2023.