UEFA continues to finance Russian football clubs despite the war in Ukraine

09.08.2025 | International news

The European football organization transfers millions of euros to Russian teams, while Ukrainian clubs remain without support due to the military conflict.

Снимка от Projecten Sint-Truiden, Wikimedia Commons (обществено достояние)

A scandalous revelation has shaken the football world - the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) continues to transfer significant monetary funds to Russian sports organizations, despite the current military conflict in Eastern Europe.

According to an investigation by the British publication The Guardian, the total amount of financial transfers to Russian football clubs amounts to an impressive 11 million euros. These payments are distributed over three consecutive sports seasons: 3.3 million euros for 2022-2023, the same amount for 2023-2024, and 4.2 million euros for 2024-2025.

The organization officially explains these transfers as a mechanism for "maintaining the competitive balance in Europe's top divisions". Paradoxically, Ukrainian football clubs are deprived of any funding precisely due to military actions on their territory.

This case raises serious questions about UEFA's policy and its ability to apply consistent sanctions against countries that have committed international aggression.