The Internet could provide $1 billion in new revenue for Europe's top soccer clubs within the next 10 years, an expert told European soccer's governing body UEFA Wednesday.

Looking for new revenue sources to help finance the Champions League and other competitions, UEFA spent the second day of a two-day clubs workshop at its lavish headquarters on the shore of Lake Geneva exploring new avenues of income.

Chief among them was the relatively untapped Internet market, which consultant Mark Oliver says could eventually be worth as much as $2 to $3 billion.

``In 10 years time there will be an extra $1 billion for European football and most of that will go to the top clubs as well,'' said Oliver, who has also done similar work for the English premier league. ``That money will come from some betting, merchandising and access to income streams.

``You add it all up, what sports fans might spend, and you come to a market that could eventually be $2 to $3 billion.

``But about half of that comes from existing revenues, it's just a matter of switching it from bricks and mortar to online and new media.

``It's not all new money.''

Like everyone else trying to earn money from the Internet, it will be some time before UEFA will be able to cash in.

European soccer's governing body said it had retained its Internet rights but has not yet looked into negotiating them on a separate basis.