Sunderland set to pocket six-figure windfall from UEFA benefits scheme

Sunderland are set to pocket a six-figure fee from UEFA’s Euro 2024 club benefits programme.

In total, some £200 million will be handed out to 901 clubs across 55 European national football associations following last summer’s tournament, in which England finished as runners-up to Spain.

The programme is designed to reward clubs for releasing their players to national teams for the Nations League, European Qualifiers, and the Euro 2024 tournament itself. A record number of clubs have received payments, with the fund increased by £28 million on the previous cycle. In England alone, 80 clubs are set to benefit, from reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, all the way down to tenth-tier outfit Yorkshire Amateur, who will be awarded £6,000.

How much will Sunderland receive from UEFA’s club benefits programme?

According to a report from the Mirror, Sunderland are set to pocket £222,958.51 from the programme.

The scheme works by ensuring that clubs receive an equal share of a total pot for every player released for each Nations League and European Qualifiers fixture, as well as a fixed amount per player per day during Euro 2024 itself. That figure is then adjusted according to FIFA’s club categorisation for training compensation. UEFA funds the programme via commercial revenue generated during the final tournament.

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Addressing the success of the scheme, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said: "It is fantastic to see clubs of all sizes and levels, across the entire football pyramid, receiving financial rewards for their vital role in developing players.

"Every success of our competitions is a shared one, and this benefits programme is another testament to that principle, recognising the dedication of those who work tirelessly to make European football the greatest sport in the world. When football thrives, everyone benefits."

In England, the biggest earners from the programme were Man City, who received more than £4 million in total. Just behind Pep Guardiola’s men were Arsenal, with a fee of around £3.3 million, then Liverpool at £3.1 million, and Manchester United at £2.7 million.

Compared to some of their Championship rivals, Sunderland’s figure is relatively modest. Recently-promoted Burnley and Leeds United, for instance, received £682,449.75 and £492,128.93 respectively, while the likes of West Brom, Norwich City, Sheffield United, and Bristol City all pocketed more than the Black Cats too.

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