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Since February 2022, UEFA has paid more than €10.8m in "solidarity funds" to Russian clubs, despite them being banned from European competitions following the invasion of Ukraine. The figures, reported by The Guardian, show payments of €3.3m in the 2022-23 season, €3.3m in 2023-24 and €4.2m in 2024-25.
These amounts are intended to support the development of the youth sectors of clubs that do not participate in European competitions, funded by a portion of the revenues from the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
According to the British newspaper, five Ukrainian companies, Chornomorets and Real Pharma, based in Odessa, Metalurg in Zaporizhia, Phoenix Mariupol in the occupied southern port city and Metalist 1925 in Kharkiv, have not received the funds. In late July, the five clubs wrote a letter to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin to complain about a situation they described as "extraordinary".
The Guardian says it has been informed that the obstacle to the above payments consists of some unclear requirements of a bank in Switzerland. According to the Ukrainians, the failure to distribute the funds is related to Swiss banking restrictions on payments to territories classified as "hostile zones".
"The whole of Ukraine is under Russian military aggression. The decision not to send payments to our clubs is unacceptable and incomprehensible. We are being denied the amounts due to us, while Russian clubs regularly receive them. We demand clarity and official explanations ," the Ukrainian clubs' letter said.
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