Report – NIFL clubs agreed on a new distribution model for UEFA solidarity payments

The Northern Ireland Football League Premiership clubs have reached an agreement at the end of 2022 on a new redistribution model of UEFA Youth solidarity payments to clubs across the league.

To date, UEFA Youth solidarity payments have been equally distributed between the 12 clubs who participated in the NIFL Premiership in the season concerned.

Last December, it was agreed that with an increase in money for clubs participating in Qualifying Rounds (QR) of UEFA Club Competitions (UCC), a new redistribution model should be considered that would result in the 8 Non-participating clubs receiving additional revenues redirected from clubs competing in UCC Qualifying Rounds.

Northern Ireland will be ranked 42 in UCC access list next season (2023-24), a ranking that awards 4 positions in the UCC Qualifying Rounds (1 in UEFA Champions League QR and 3 in UEFA Conference League QR).

The new agreement is viewed as act of additional solidarity amongst domestic clubs to encourage a level of competitive balance amongst Premiership clubs, and maintain a decent gap between those clubs participating in UCC and clubs only participating in domestic competitions.

The new model will work as follows:

- For the NIFL Premiership League Champions:

• 50% automatic redirection of solidarity award

• 10% additional redirection of solidarity award for each round progressed until UCC group stages

• 100% automatic redirection of solidarity award if they qualify for UCC group stage

- For other NIFL clubs qualifying for UCC:

• 10% automatic redirection of solidarity award

• 15% additional redirection of solidarity award for each round progressed until UCC group stages

• 100% automatic redirection of solidarity award if they qualify for group stage

The main objective being to reduce the amount of Youth solidarity payments for clubs participating in the UCC Qualifying Rounds in order to compensate the QR solidarity payments distributed by UEFA.

Interviewed by the Irish Sun, NIFL chief executive Gerard Lawlor has praised the clubs for showing front in an attempt to grow the league in the coming years “I think it’s a massive piece of work. This is a great example of the league working as a whole and the clubs trying to support each other”.

We asked a few questions to Warrenpoint Town FC Chairman Connaire McGreevy, one of the clubs who will benefit from the new distribution model, to better understand what will be the impact for a club non participating to UCC.

With the new solidarity redistribution model agreed by NIFL Premiership clubs, Warrenpoint Town FC will receive additional money at the end of the current season (2022/23). How will solidarity payments be used by your club?

C.M: It is fantastic that the clubs have agreed on a fairer way to distribute UEFA payments among non-participating clubs. Clubs like Warrenpoint require additional revenue streams to make the leagues as competitive as possible. To be competitive we need to invest more into youth football and ensure we can deliver the best-in-class professionals. Ultimately, these players will benefit from football throughout the league and the very best will be fit to compete at the top of the table. The redistribution of funds will help all clubs.

What’s the concrete impact of the new redistribution agreement on a club like Warrenpoint Town FC? What do solidarity payments represent financially for your club?

C.M: A solidarity payment can be worth upwards of 100,00€. So, if the clubs qualifying for European competitions only get to the first round it will mean round an additional 10,000€. If they progress through a round it will mean more. So, we have created an ‘all-for-one’ mentality were all clubs want to see progression within European competitions. It is a joint success.

Why do you think it is important to maintain a competitive balance within your national championship?

C.M: To grow the game here we want to have entertainment. If a league can be predicted before a ball is even kicked then we won’t have growth. Throughout the sporting world people like a competitive environment, they enjoy the underdog. By trying to maintain competition we give the underdogs a better fight. There really is quite nothing like Warrenpoint beating Linfield, or Ballinmallard getting to a cup final. Competition will also mean more players develop and the more players develop across Northern Ireland then the better the Irish FA will have their teams compete too. So, this really is a win-win for all.

CAP app - 21.03.2023