The Future of the UEFA European Cups After 2027
The UEFA payout system runs until the end of the 2026/27 season; we explain how it works in the article money in the European cups. A new UEFA commercial cycle starts with 2027/28, with a new sales partner. How UEFA will split that money between clubs is still open: the distribution rules for the new cycle have not been published yet.
Below we separate the news into three parts: what is confirmed, what rests only on media reports, and what remains speculation. As of 30 October 2026.
What is confirmed
This section covers what comes from UEFA documents and statements by its partners. The reference point is the audited UEFA financial report for the 2024/25 season, which describes the current model as the 2024-27 cycle, that is, one that ends with the 2026/27 season.
- The current commercial cycle and distribution model run until the end of the 2026/27 season. The new UEFA cycle for men’s club competitions begins with 2027/28.
- UC3, the joint venture of UEFA and European clubs, has chosen Relevent Football Partners as its global marketing and sales partner for the commercial rights to men’s club competitions (media, sponsorship, licensing) for six seasons, from 2027/28 to 2032/33 (UC3 press release, 14 March 2025). Relevent takes over from TEAM, which has handled these rights for 35 years. insideworldfootball.com has more detail.
- The deal covers the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, the UEFA Super Cup, the UEFA Youth League and the Futsal Champions League.
- UEFA is aiming for revenue from media and commercial rights of €13.0bn (exactly €13,000.8m) in the current 2024-27 cycle, 20% more than in 2021-24 (€10.826bn), according to its financial report for 2024/25. That is a reference point for announcements about the next cycle, not a forecast for 2027-31, which UEFA has not published.
- From 2027/28 the Champions League will open with a single match hosted by the defending champion on a Tuesday, before the rest of matchday one. UC3 announced this on 13 October 2025, as reported by Keystone-SDA (via blue News) and WorldSoccerTalk.com.
None of this tells us how many euros a given club will receive for a given result from 2027/28. It covers only commercial contracts and the timetable; UEFA sets payments to clubs in a separate circular.
What the media report (UEFA has not confirmed it)
The figures and announcements below come from the trade and sports press, not from UEFA or UC3 statements. They are second-hand, so we name the source each time.
- Bloomberg reported on 20 November 2025 that UEFA sees an increase of more than 20% in broadcast-rights income from its five biggest markets.
- According to Goal.com (9 October 2025, citing The Independent), UEFA was preparing a “global first-pick” package: one broadcaster could buy exclusive worldwide rights to one Champions League match per round. Goal puts the sum UEFA is targeting at about $5.9bn a season (about £4.3bn); the tender was due to start on 13 October 2025. Goal names Netflix, Disney and Amazon among the interested platforms and, citing The Independent, Apple TV too.
- The US market would be excluded from that package until 2030, because CBS holds exclusive Champions League rights there until then (Goal.com, citing The Independent).
- According to Sportcal (30 April 2026), UEFA had by then awarded television rights for the new cycle in several countries, including Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Romania, Finland and Norway; the tender was run by UC3 and Relevent. Disney+ will show the Champions League for the first time.
All of these figures concern how much money will enter the system, not how UEFA will divide it among clubs.
What remains speculation
On these points there is neither a UEFA statement nor consistent press reporting.
- Payout mechanics after 2027. UEFA has not said whether, in 2027-31, the proportions between the pillars, the win bonuses and the value-pillar formula will stay as they are today. Treat any categorical claim as unverified until UEFA issues a circular for the new cycle, like circular 48/2026 of 13 July 2026 for the current one.
- The FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA’s money. FIFA projects revenue of about $14bn for the 2027-2030 cycle, helped by an expanded line-up of tournaments that includes the Club World Cup (FIFA Council, March 2026; reported by insideworldfootball.com and TheSportsExaminer.com), against FIFA’s original projection of $13bn for the current 2023-26 cycle, which insideworldfootball.com says now looks conservative. Whether this affects UEFA at all is not known: no document we know of describes a mechanism linking FIFA tournaments to UEFA competitions, such as calendar compensation or a revenue split.
Why this matters for Polish clubs
For clubs outside Europe’s elite, such as Legia Warszawa, Jagiellonia Białystok, Lech Poznań or Raków Częstochowa, the question is whether UEFA’s growing revenue will mean higher sums in the familiar categories (starting fee, result bonuses, value pillar). It could instead change the proportions between the pillars or between the three cups. Neither has been confirmed. We describe Polish clubs’ earnings in the current cycle in the article how much Polish clubs earn in Europe.
Poland’s rising national coefficient, which we cover in the same article, works independently of the new cycle: a higher place in the national ranking means more places in the European cups, however many euros each of them is worth after 2027.
When will we know the numbers? UEFA publishes the distribution rules in a separate circular in the summer before the season: circular 48/2026 is dated 13 July 2026. The audited report with the amounts actually paid comes later: the report for 2024/25 is dated January 2026 and was made public in February 2026. If UEFA keeps that rhythm, the circular for 2027/28 will come in summer 2027 and the audited settlement in early 2029. Until then every figure for 2027-31 is a plan, not a result. We will update this article when UEFA publishes official data.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it already known how much UEFA will pay clubs in the 2027/28 season, and when will we find out?
No. Circular 48/2026 of 13 July 2026 covers only the 2024-27 cycle, and UEFA has not announced rates for 2027/28. If UEFA keeps the current rhythm, the 2027/28 circular will come in summer 2027 and the audited settlement in early 2029.
Who will sell the media rights to the European cups from 2027/28?
Relevent Football Partners, chosen by UC3 (the joint venture of UEFA and European clubs) for six seasons, from 2027/28 to 2032/33. It replaces TEAM, which has sold UEFA’s rights for 35 years.
Will the three-pillar payout system (starting fee, results, value pillar) be kept after 2027?
Not yet. UEFA has not said either way. A distribution circular for the new cycle will answer that.
Will the Champions League change its format after 2027?
No UEFA document we checked announces a change of format. The only announced novelty from 2027/28 is a separate season-opening match hosted by the defending champion (UC3, 13 October 2025).
Will the expanded FIFA Club World Cup affect UEFA financially?
Nothing so far points that way. FIFA projects about $14bn in revenue for the 2027-2030 cycle, but no mechanism (such as calendar compensation or a revenue split) links that money to UEFA.
Will Poland’s higher coefficient in the UEFA ranking matter after 2027 as well?
The national ranking works independently of the commercial cycle and rests on clubs’ results in previous seasons. How many euros each position will be worth after 2027/28 is not known.
You will find a full description of the current payout system in the article money in the European cups. We explain the differences between the three competitions in the text Champions League, Europa League, Conference League – differences, and how much Polish clubs actually earned in the current cycle we describe in the article how much Polish clubs earn in Europe. We follow the current schedule of Polish clubs in the 2026/27 European cups on the page Polish clubs in Europe 2026/27 (in Polish). You will find odds and markets for the upcoming Champions League and Conference League matches on the pages Champions League betting and Conference League betting (in Polish). A full overview of the site’s sports sections is on the page Sport – sections and news (in Polish).
See also: UEFA Nations League 2026/27: format, group and schedule for Poland.