UEFA will boost all of its member associations with a total cash injection of €236.5m to help them through the Covid-19 pandemic.
This HatTrick funding is usually distributed to the associations to cover running costs and to help develop specific and targeted areas of domestic football.
However, UEFA has decided to allow each of the 55 countries within its membership to use the money as they see fit with the football calendar disrupted to an enormous degree.
“Our sport is facing an unprecedented challenge brought about by the Covid-19 crisis,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.
“UEFA wants to help its members to respond in ways that are appropriate to their specific circumstances. As a result, we have agreed that up to €4.3m per association, paid for the remainder of this season and next, as well as part of the investment funding; can be used as our members see fit to rebuild the football community.
“I believe this is a responsible decision to help as much as we can; and I am proud of the unity that football is showing throughout this crisis. Without doubt, football will be at the heart of life returning to normal. When that time comes, football must be ready to answer that call. ”
The HatTrick assistance programme was launched in 2004 following that year’s Euros, based on the simple idea of investing a large proportion of the tournament revenue back into football development in three different ways: investment, education and knowledge-sharing.
FIFA recently announced that each of its 211 member countries would receive $500,000 (€462,750).
The FAI have received advances on UEFA funding in the last few months as they battle a financial crisis that precedes the outbreak of the pandemic.
