Arsenal to bank share of £27m UEFA pot before January window

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Arsenal are among more than 600 clubs across Europe set to receive a payment from UEFA this week, with the governing body distributing a €31.5m (£27m) compensation pot for releasing players to international duty.

The money comes via UEFA's Club Benefits Programme, which reimburses clubs for their players' participation in the 2024/25 edition of the Nations League and European Qualifier fixtures. The cash pool will be shared among 611 clubs across all member associations.

UEFA set a rate of €3,845 (£3,296) per eligible appearance on the match sheet, meaning the size of each club's payment depends on how many of its players featured and how often.

How much is Arsenal's slice worth?

RB Leipzig are set to bank more than any other club, receiving approximately €353,000 (£302,600) after releasing 16 players. Arsenal, meanwhile, are only expected to receive a figure in the six-figure region, according to football.london.

This week's payment is just the first instalment. The €31.5m forms part of a wider €104m (£89.2m) pool set aside for the 2024/25 and 2026/27 editions of the Nations League and the qualifying campaign for Euro 2028.

A further €140m (£120m) has been reserved for the tournament itself, which will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, taking the total distribution to €244m (£209m). At Euro 2028, compensation will be calculated per player, per day, rather than per appearance. UEFA have confirmed further payments will be made in stages as the relevant competitions are completed.

What UEFA said

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said: "The Club Support Programme acknowledges the essential contribution that clubs add to the success of national team football.

"Through this Programme, we distribute a share of UEFA EURO and UEFA Nations League revenue to clubs across Europe, professional and amateur alike, in recognition of their role in developing players and releasing them for national team duty. When football thrives, everybody benefits."

Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, chairman of European Football Clubs, added: "The Club Benefits Programme is a very important part of the UEFA-EFC strategic partnership. Its scale and impact are clear, with more than 600 clubs of all sizes benefiting from this first payment.

"It recognises the essential contribution clubs make to the international game by developing players and making them available for their national teams. We are very pleased to continue strengthening this vital link between club and national team football."

Attention turns to January

The timing of the payment arrives with the January transfer window on the horizon. Arsenal had been expected to move for a marquee forward in the summer, but sporting director Andrea Berta's only addition in the final third was Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, who was viewed as a replacement for Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

A six-figure sum from UEFA will not, on its own, change Arsenal's approach to the market. It does, however, represent a modest addition to the accounts at a point when Mikel Arteta's frontline remains the area of the squad under the most scrutiny.

Further instalments from the Club Benefits Programme will follow as the Nations League and Euro 2028 qualifying campaigns conclude, with the bulk of the €244m pot still to be distributed.