Article 68 Other requirements - Europa League

Regulations of the UEFA Europa League

Content Type
Competition Regulations
Category
Clubs
Subject
UEL
Edition
2023/24
Language
English
Enforcement Date
28 June 2023
68.01

As of the group stage, LED advertising boards for all matches will be used.

68.02

During a site visit to each stadium, UEFA and/or a third party acting on its behalf assesses any existing LED advertising system in place. If it fulfils the technical specifications set by UEFA and is judged by UEFA to be of a high enough quality and reliability, the club shall provide access to such system, whether it is the club’s own or that of any third-party supplier, to UEFA. Once a system is considered suitable, a contract will be offered by UEFA, in which the club and/or the system owner assumes responsibility for the proper operation and functioning of the boards. In such circumstances, UEFA shall pay the club and/or the system owner a standard market rental fee for its LED advertising system including day rates for operational staff. Systems should be operated by the club including any artwork management, sequence preparation, on-site graphics control, match operation and reporting. The system, the controller and technicians would then work under the direction of UEFA's venue team onsite. If necessary, a LED supervisor appointed by UEFA, will help with the implementation of UEFA partners’ rights onsite.

68.03

UEFA surveys each system and power set-up in advance. Systems that meet UEFA’s specifications must also be set-up in such a way as to conform with UEFA’s needs. This means one system, covering at least the touchline and both goal lines to the near 5.5m line. The system needs to be at least 80cm high, gaps in the corner are allowed. Boards must be fully visible from the main camera position, ideally running under the crossbar of each goal, or if need be, over the crossbar, but in no cases should the crossbar bisect the board artworks. Content should be fully legible under floodlights, and a system test to match artwork colours and calibrate the host broadcast main camera to those colours is required the day before the match in the evening, under full match light conditions.

68.04

If a club is unable to provide and install a LED advertising system meeting the required technical or set-up specifications, then UEFA provides and installs an appropriate system. The responsibility of the proper operation and functioning of the boards would then be with UEFA and/or the third party acting on its behalf (UEFA’s LED suppliers).

68.05

The removal (and the subsequent re-installation) of any non-compliant system is the responsibility of the club and at the cost of the club; the clean stadium principles continue to apply. In every case, UEFA covers the operational staff costs and the cost of artwork adaptation and management.

68.06

Where the capacity and security of the pitchside power supply can be guaranteed, UEFA uses this existing power supply. Consumption costs are covered by the home club. Where the existing power capacity is insufficient or not reliable enough, or where there is no back-up power source , then UEFA may bring in, at its own cost, a dedicated twin-pack generator to guarantee the operation of the boards (save where the existing power supply does not meet EU standards, in which case the costs shall be covered by the home club).

68.07

Only UEFA logos and the logos of the partners may be displayed at press conferences, flash interviews and in mixed zones at UEFA Europa League matches. In accordance with Chapter X, the clothing of all players, coaches and team personnel participating in press conferences and/or interviews must be in compliance with the UEFA Equipment Regulations.

68.08

The clubs produce posters, tickets and official printed matter in connection with the UEFA Europa League, but only in a manner approved by UEFA and in accordance with UEFA’s ticketing policy. When posters, tickets and official printed matter connected with UEFA Europa League matches are being designed, due attention must be paid to ensuring that any advertising overprint is solely that of the partners. All printed matter must be produced in accordance with the guidelines laid down by UEFA.

68.09

For every UEFA Europa League match, the clubs undertake to provide UEFA with the following numbers of complimentary tickets to the VIP area, for UEFA and partners:

  1. Group matches: 90 with hospitality

  2. Knockout round play-off matches: 160 with hospitality

  3. Round of 16 matches: 160 with hospitality

  4. Quarter-finals: 275 with hospitality

  5. Semi-finals: 275 with hospitality.

UEFA may purchase tickets without hospitality at retail price, but is not obliged to take its full quota.

68.10

This number of tickets and hospitality passes must not exceed 10% of the VIP area seating capacity. In such a case, any difference must be offset by tickets (including hospitality) in the highest category. All such tickets must be in one block, in a section located between the two 16m lines. Upon request, clubs must locate up to five of UEFA’s VIP ticket holders in the best possible seats next to the UEFA match delegate and/or the club’s highest level executives (for example, the club president or chief executive officer).

68.11

In addition, UEFA and the partners must be given the opportunity to acquire, at face value, an agreed number of retail tickets, whereby tickets in the next highest category must also be situated in one block and in a central section (i.e. not behind the goal):

  1. Group matches: minimum of 75 top-category retail tickets and 85 retail tickets in the next highest category;

  2. Knockout round play-off matches: minimum of 173 top-category retail tickets and 175 retail tickets in the next highest category;

  3. Round of 16 matches: minimum of 173 top-category retail tickets and 175 retail tickets in the next highest category;

  4. Quarter-finals: minimum of 280 top-category retail tickets and 275 retail tickets in the next highest category;

  5. Semi-finals: minimum of 280 top-category retail tickets and 275 retail tickets in the next highest category.

68.12

The clubs must make best efforts to give UEFA and partners the opportunity to acquire, on reasonable commercial terms and subject to availability, one skybox (or similar facilities) for the round of 16 matches and the quarter-finals and two skyboxes (or similar facilities) for the semi-finals.

68.13

All tickets must be official UEFA Europa League tickets approved by UEFA prior to production.

68.14

UEFA and the partners may use tickets provided by the clubs in accordance with this Article for promotional purposes.

68.15

The clubs shall ensure that, as a minimum, their ticketing and media accreditation terms and conditions for the matches stipulate that:

  1. no person may conduct any promotional or commercial activity at the match stadium, without the prior written approval of UEFA;

  2. tickets must not be used for any commercial purposes such as for promotion, advertising, use as a prize in a competition/sweepstake, or as part of a hospitality or travel package without the prior written approval of UEFA;

  3. all people attending the match acknowledge that use may be made (free of charge) of their voice, image and/or likeness in still images and audio/visual transmissions relating to the match;

  4. no person attending the match may, without UEFA’s prior written approval, collect, record, transmit and/or exploit any sound, image, data, statistics and/or description of the match for any purpose other than for private use. Upon request by UEFA, the club must make best efforts to provide the necessary support to enforce the aforementioned provision.

68.16

For every UEFA Europa League match, the home club must provide UEFA, free of charge, with a single dedicated hospitality area for use by UEFA and the partners, which should be located within the club VIP area at the stadium. In the knockout stage, the relevant home clubs may be required to provide UEFA, free of charge, with an exclusive separate single area within the club hospitality area if space permits, or an area of the same standard elsewhere, for use by UEFA and the partners. The relevant requirements shall be determined by UEFA as part of the site visits undertaken at each stadium.

68.17

The standard of these facilities must be at least comparable to the highest standard available in the stadium. If the home club is not able to offer such facilities within the stadium, it must find an alternative solution at its own expense outside the stadium. Such alternative solution must be of a standard comparable to that of an indoor facility. UEFA will notify the clubs of the relevant size requirements of such hospitality facilities.

68.18

UEFA reserves the right to install and/or display competition branding and/or partner branding and/or to offer partner products at the club’s VIP hospitality area or any alternative hospitality area provided by the club.

68.19

A number of accreditations for partners, to be agreed upon, will be made available by UEFA, in conjunction with the home club. In every case, accreditation will ensure that all services can be provided before, during and after the match.

68.20

In principle, 60 parking places for the group stage, 80 parking places for the knockout round play-offs and round of 16 and 100 for the quarter and semi-final matches must be provided, free of charge, to UEFA for use by partners. The number and category of parking places is decided upon by UEFA and the home club. These parking spaces should be in a prime position, wherever possible with easy access to the UEFA and partners’ hospitality area.

68.21

The clubs are responsible for dispatching tickets and hospitality and parking passes to UEFA and/or the partners in accordance with UEFA's instructions.