UEFA wants to intensively promote women’s club football. The aim is to double spectator numbers and the commercial value of the competition by 2024.
On Tuesday, the UEFA Women’s Champions League kicks off its current season and – according to European football’s governing body – a new “era”. In addition to its own anthem, this season will see a group stage and worldwide broadcasts of matches for the first time. These changes are part of an extensive reform of the competition, which aims at a more professional marketing as well as higher visibility and should be especially financially noticeable for the participating clubs.
Four groups of four – quadruple prize money
The new mode is based on the familiar men’s format. Whereas in the past the sixteen-team finals started directly after two qualifying rounds, from this season onwards there will be four groups of four teams, from each of which the top two teams will advance to the quarter-finals. From this point onwards, there will be first legs and second legs before two finalists are found and decide the title between themselves.
Besides the new format, there is a big financial change. UEFA is increasing its distributions to a total of €24 million. This is about four times the prize money and bonuses paid out so far. This means that not only the title, which comes with a purse of 1.4 million euros, is worth it, but already the qualification. The entry fee alone amounts to 400,000 euros per participant – about five times as much as has been paid out so far for reaching the round of 16. But not only the participants can look forward to financial incentives. The domestic leagues of the qualified teams will also receive 5.5 million euros each, which must be channelled into the further development of the sport.
“We’re not going to let this happen.
“We are excited about this move because it is the right one. “
NADINE KESSLER
Leaders are united in taking an important and right step. UEFA chief executive Aleksander Ceferin is convinced that “the new financial distribution model will strengthen all professional women’s football across Europe”. Meanwhile, UEFA ambassador and adviser on monitoring the development of women’s football, Nadine Kessler, hopes to hear support for the reform from players, teams and fans. The only regret the former VfL Wolfsburg world player would have is that she herself will no longer be able to play in the competition.
DAZN broadcasts
As a further measure, UEFA’s strategy paper includes a much broader marketing of the matches. This season, they will be shown together with the streaming portal DAZN, which will broadcast all 61 matches worldwide for free on its in-house YouTube channel. However, the Bundesliga representatives will only be able to watch the matches with German commentary for customers of the provider on its paid site;
Looking at the pairings, it could well be worth tuning in. Two-time Champions League winners VfL Wolfsburg face last year’s finalists Chelsea FC, led by former VfL superstar Pernille Harder, in Group A on Wednesday at 9pm. Bayern face record winners Olympique Lyon in Group D and TSG Hoffenheim have two top teams in Group C, Arsenal and defending champions FC Barcelona.