"Milsami" thanks to European cups "beat back" the club budget for 2.5 years // Photo: instagram.com
Milsami (see table), who started from the first qualifying round of the Champions League (LC) and finished in the third round of the Conference League (CL), unexpectedly lost to Virtus from San Marino (3:5 on the sum of two matches), earned more than the rest. The prize money includes a €260k bonus from UEFA, awarded to the champions of their respective countries who failed to qualify for the group stage of the tournament. The money earned by the Orhei club in the current European Cup season allows it to cover its own budget for 2.5 years ahead.
Tiraspol-based Sheriff, having played in three qualifying rounds of European competitions (two in the Europa League and one in the LC), became the second in terms of prize money among the Moldovan Super League clubs. The earned funds allow the club to provide about 7% of its budget. Based on the club’s financial statements for 2024, Sheriff’s budget grew from €10 million to €16.5 million in one year.
“Petrocub”, which in 2024 earned a record for the club €4.3 million from its performance in the group stage of the LC, was able to cover the club’s annual budget with the prize money earned this year. The club from Hincesti only reached one stage of the LC, losing to Azerbaijan’s Sabah with a total score of 1:6 in the second round of the tournament.
Like last year, the European Cup campaign was less profitable for the capital’s Zimbru. The club qualified immediately to the second round of the LC, but failed to overcome it, losing to Astana (Kazakhstan) with a total score of 1-3. This did not allow the club to cover its annual budget, which, according to the president of Zimbru Nikolai Chyorny, is about €1 million.
Earlier this year “Milsami” and “Zimbru” received from UEFA €594 thousand each, “Sheriff” – €399.5 thousand, “Petrocub” – €194.5 thousand. These funds were allocated from the sports solidarity fund and should be used to invest in projects for the development of soccer schools / academies (training of young players, infrastructure, equipment). In addition, Milsami, Sheriff and Zimbru received €59.8 thousand each as part of solidarity payments to clubs that did not qualify for the group stage of the European Cup.
|
Revenues of Moldovan clubs from participation in European competitions in the season 2025/26 |
||
|
Club |
Prize money* |
Annual budget |
|
“Milsami” |
€1.3 mln |
~€500 thousand |
|
“Sheriff” |
€1.07 mln |
~€16.5m |
|
“Petrocub” |
€700k |
~€650k |
|
“Zimbru” |
€525k. |
~€1 million |
| * The amount of prize money is not final, as the clubs that did not reach the group stage of the European Cup are entitled to solidarity payments allocated by UEFA from a special fund (to be transferred in 2026) and part of the payments from the TV broadcasting rights. | ||
