London, 25 September 2024 (PA Media/dpa/MIA) - UEFA will reopen the bidding to host the 2027 men’s Champions League final after the match was taken away from Milan.

European football’s governing body has gone back to the drawing board after authorities in the Italian city could not offer guarantees that refurbishment work at the San Siro and the surrounding area would not affect the match.

UEFA indicated in May that a decision on the 2027 final host was being postponed, subject to UEFA receiving the necessary guarantees around the San Siro refurbishment.

A decision on a new host is now expected in May or June next year, UEFA said.

Agreement has also been reached over UEFA’s solidarity funding, with Premier League clubs outside of European competition receiving a smaller slice over the next three seasons than under the previous agreement.

England’s top flight – along with La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga – have agreed to have their solidarity payments capped at €10 million ($11 million) each per season up to and including 2026-27.

This is an increase of €1.5 million on the previous cycle, but there is much more money to go around this time – €308 million compared to €177.2 million.

The higher amount is a result of an increase in the percentage allocated to non-participating clubs in this cycle – up from 4% to 7% – and the higher projected overall revenue compared to the previous three-year period.

In effect it means the overall share of solidarity money being taken by the ‘Big Five’ leagues is dropping from 24% to 16%.

The key aim of the solidarity payments is to try to support competitive balance within domestic leagues and prevent it becoming distorted by the money UEFA pays to clubs who are involved in continental competition.

The cap on the big leagues is recognition of their greater earning power from domestic television revenue, and that problems of competitive balance are most acute in the leagues outside Europe’s big five.

The distribution agreement was signed off by UEFA’s executive committee at a meeting in Prague on Tuesday, following collaboration with European Leagues and the European Club Association.

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