£20 million awaits Euro 2012 winners
Reuters - Friday 17 June 2011, 13:19
GENEVA - The winners of next year's Euro
2012 championships in Poland and Ukraine could earn £20.75 million if they lift the trophy by winning all
six matches in the group stage and knockout rounds.
The decision was announced on Friday after a two-day UEFA
executive meeting in Nyon which also issued a statement urging
FIFA to implement reforms within three months in the wake of its
current corruption crisis.
UEFA fixed the total prize money for the 16 finalists at the
European championships at £173 million,
compared to £163 million for Euro 2008.
Each of the 16 finalists will pocket £7 million for
reaching the championship, with £800,000 on offer for a
win in the group stage and £400,000 for a group stage draw.
Victory in the quarter-finals will be worth £1.6 million, a semi-final victory will add another £2.4 million to their pot, while the team winning the final will land another £6.6 million. The runner-up will collect £3.9 million.
UEFA have also decided to give a £800,000 euro bonus to
the team finishing third in the group.
"This will act as an incentive if the top two qualifying
places are already decided." a spokesman said.
UEFA also urged world governing body FIFA to implement its
promised reforms by September after the worst crisis FIFA
president Sepp Blatter has faced in his 13-year presidency.
With FIFA Executive ommittee members Mohamed Bin Hammam and
Jack Warner currently suspended over allegations of bribery and
a third FIFA ExCo member Chuck Blazer being questioned by FIFA's Ethics Committee, Blatter has promised to clean up FIFA's image.
He has invited American statesman Henry Kissinger and opera
singer Placido Domingo on to a new committee, but UEFA's
executive wants to see some positive action taken in Zurich.
In a statement UEFA said: "The Executive Committee takes
good note of the will of FIFA to take concrete and efficient
measures with regards to good governance, and expects to see
results within the next three months and is following the
situation closely."
The committee also decided to award a special official
commemorative cap and a medal to players who reach 100
appearances for their national team.
On Thursday UEFA announced that the 2013 Champions League Final and UEFA Congress in 2013 would be held in England to mark
the 150th anniversary of the English FA, the world's first
football association.