This MOU extension means UEFA and the ECA will continue to jointly manage the commercial aspects of the various UEFA pan-continental club competitions. (Xavier Laine/Getty Images)

European soccer’s governing body UEFA has extended its partnership with the European Club Association (ECA) through 2033.

A formal agreement between UEFA and the club representative organization – which now has over 700 members – was unveiled yesterday during the ECA’s ongoing general assembly in Greece.

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One key result of this extension is that the two parties will continue to manage the commercial aspects of UEFA’s various club competitions – which are very lucrative properties – through the joint UEFA Club Competitions SA venture.

This memorandum of understanding (MOU) extension is essentially a three-year deal, with the previous agreement between the two parties having been unveiled last September, and itself having been a tie-up until 2030.

This agreement has been unveiled around one month into the new format of UEFA’s various club competitions – the top-tier Champions League, second-tier Europa League, and third-tier Conference League – having got underway.

Overall, more teams are involved in each of those competitions and are each guaranteed to play more games than under the previous model.

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Last September, the two bodies agreed a new system for revenue distribution across all ECA member clubs – from 2024-25 through 2026-27, the share of revenue distributed to teams not participating in the league phase of UEFA competitions is increasing to 10%, equivalent to €1.32 billion ($1.4 billion) throughout the three-year cycle and €440 million per season.

The new system is aimed at giving greater focus on participation – increasing the percentage shared equally from 25% to 27.5% – and performance, which is increasing in terms of share from 30% to 37.5%.

Two pillars of the previous model, meanwhile, have decreased in terms of the revenue share allocated through them – market pool and coefficient. They have merged, and have been reduced from 45% overall to 35%.

Aleksander Ceferin, president of UEFA, said: “Our partnership with ECA is the foundation of an inclusive, sustainable and dynamic ecosystem that benefits the entire European football pyramid. Together, we are committed to enhancing the global prominence of UEFA club competitions while ensuring that clubs of all sizes, across every region, continue to thrive both on and off the pitch.”

Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the ECA’s chair, added: “The MoU solidifies our collaboration with UEFA across governance, representation, sporting, regulatory, financial and commercial matters, which will ensure the continued development and success of the game at every level.”

In March last year, the ECA unveiled the renewal of its MOU with global soccer’s governing body FIFA, in that case running through 2030.