Football: Uefa has paid millions to support clubs in Russia

Uefa has paid more than €10.8m (£9.4m) in "solidarity" funds to Russian football clubs since they were banned from taking part in European tournaments after the invasion of Ukraine, the Guardian can reveal.

- Daniel Boffey

The payments were made despite five Ukrainian clubs failing to receive similar such funds, allegedly owing to their locations being in a "zone of military operations".

Solidarity payments are generally provided to clubs that fail to do well enough at the domestic level to get into European competitions.

They are designed to "maintain competitive balance in Europe's top divisions in light of the additional revenue some clubs receive through participation in European competitions", according to Uefa. Russian clubs and the country's national team have been banned from taking part in international competitions since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Despite the ban, Uefa paid €3,305,000 in solidarity payments to the Russian football association in 2022-23, a further €3,381,000 in 2023-24, and €4,224,000 for the 2024-25 season. There was also a payment of €6,209,000 in 2021-22, according to Uefa circulars. The football association is obliged to pass on the money to the clubs.