On 14th October 2024, the Union of European Clubs convened its second Executive Board meeting in Brussels, gathering 13 Board members to discuss strategic policies shaping the future of European football. The meeting underscored the UEC’s commitment to fostering a fair, inclusive, and sustainable football environment. The current set of UEC policies was presented to the General Assembly on the following day, inviting broader input from members across Europe.
The discussions brought forward several proposal ideas from UEC’s working groups, each focused on enhancing different aspects of European football. These preliminary concepts are under consideration as the UEC assesses the feasibility and potential impact of implementing them in collaboration with its members:
- U21 injury insurance/compensation – To address the need for better protection of young players and support for clubs releasing under-21 players to national duty, a proposal was introduced for an injury compensation framework. This concept aims to explore ways for clubs, especially smaller ones, to receive financial support when young players are injured in international competitions, with potential compensation linked to a fixed daily rate.
- Adjustment to travel for competitive balance – Another working group has suggested preliminary guidelines for addressing the impact of travel on competitive balance. The proposal includes recommendations for clubs to use more sustainable travel options—such as buses or trains—when travel times permit, as an initial step toward supporting competitive balance as well as reducing football’s carbon footprint.
- UCC success solidarity – The idea of a new type of solidarity payment, UCC success solidarity, is also under review. This concept proposes a structured approach to rewarding clubs that invest in player development, potentially redistributing a portion of UEFA Club Competitions prize money to incentivise clubs focusing on youth training. The working group is currently assessing how this might create a consistent revenue stream and encourage local talent development.
- Global men’s calendar – With the increasing demands on players due to a crowded football calendar, a draft proposal was presented to explore potential restructuring options. This concept centers on prioritising domestic competitions, reducing international commitments, and ensuring consistent breaks to enhance player welfare and match quality. The proposal is intended to spark further dialogue among stakeholders on creating a balanced schedule that supports all levels of competition.
- Maternity in women’s football – Recognising the unique needs of female players, another proposal aims to develop stronger maternity leave and post-maternity support. This proposal looks to improve protections for female players around pregnancy and motherhood, allowing them to balance family life with professional opportunities in football.
Following input from attendees, these proposals will be reviewed by the relevant working groups, which will incorporate feedback from both the Executive Board and wider membership before moving forward to a vote. The calendar proposal will be further discussed with other stakeholders across the European football community.
Looking ahead, the UEC is implementing a more open and collaborative approach to policy development. Designed to gather feedback and insights from clubs of all sizes, this new process allows members to propose, evaluate, and refine policies that best serve the evolving needs of European football. As the UEC continues to explore these concepts, members can expect ongoing discussions, updates, and opportunities for engagement to shape the policies that will benefit clubs, players, and the broader football ecosystem.
