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Uefa announces prize money up by a third as clubs share £1.64bn Uefa announces prize money up by a third as clubs share £1.64bn
(about 4 hours later)
Uefa has confirmed big increases in the prize money and solidarity payments to be shared between clubs across Europe after broadcasting and sponsorship deals for its club competitions rose by almost a third.Uefa has confirmed big increases in the prize money and solidarity payments to be shared between clubs across Europe after broadcasting and sponsorship deals for its club competitions rose by almost a third.
Before its Congress in Vienna, when the three Uefa-backed rivals to Sepp Blatter will come face to face with the Fifa president, the Uefa general secretary, Gianni Infantino, confirmed the windfall.Before its Congress in Vienna, when the three Uefa-backed rivals to Sepp Blatter will come face to face with the Fifa president, the Uefa general secretary, Gianni Infantino, confirmed the windfall.
Uefa said clubs would share €2.24bn (£1.64bn), with clubs that qualify for the Champions League sharing €1.2bn each season. At present, the 32 teams that qualify for the group stages share €900m.Uefa said clubs would share €2.24bn (£1.64bn), with clubs that qualify for the Champions League sharing €1.2bn each season. At present, the 32 teams that qualify for the group stages share €900m.
Infantino said any Europa League final that pitted a team from Ukraine against one from Russia would go ahead, despite them being kept apart for the remainder of the competition for political reasons.Infantino said any Europa League final that pitted a team from Ukraine against one from Russia would go ahead, despite them being kept apart for the remainder of the competition for political reasons.
Ukraine’s Dynamo Kyiv and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Russia’s Zenit St Petersburg have reached the quarter-finals. The final is on 27 May in Warsaw.Ukraine’s Dynamo Kyiv and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Russia’s Zenit St Petersburg have reached the quarter-finals. The final is on 27 May in Warsaw.
“If they reach the final, they play the final,” Infantino said. “We hope that teams from Russia and Ukraine can soon play in normal conditions.”“If they reach the final, they play the final,” Infantino said. “We hope that teams from Russia and Ukraine can soon play in normal conditions.”
Although Blatter has turned down the opportunity to appear alongside his three rivals for the presidency – the Jordanian Fifa vice-president Prince Ali, the Dutch association president Michael van Praag and the Portuguese former world footballer of the year Luis Figo – he is expected to address the congress.Although Blatter has turned down the opportunity to appear alongside his three rivals for the presidency – the Jordanian Fifa vice-president Prince Ali, the Dutch association president Michael van Praag and the Portuguese former world footballer of the year Luis Figo – he is expected to address the congress.
Van Praag has again called on Blatter to stand aside, arguing Fifa would remain mired in controversy if the 79-year-old won another four-year term in May. “It will be very bad indeed if he continues,” he said. “I believe that if the present president of Fifa goes on we will keep on having these things again and again and again. I’m of the opinion Mr Blatter is responsible for this and he will never be accepted by anyone in the world as the person to turn Fifa around.”Van Praag has again called on Blatter to stand aside, arguing Fifa would remain mired in controversy if the 79-year-old won another four-year term in May. “It will be very bad indeed if he continues,” he said. “I believe that if the present president of Fifa goes on we will keep on having these things again and again and again. I’m of the opinion Mr Blatter is responsible for this and he will never be accepted by anyone in the world as the person to turn Fifa around.”
Uefa’s president, Michel Platini, who declined to challenge Blatterbut is instead backing his rivals, will stand unopposed for a third term leading the European confederation. Uefa’s president, Michel Platini, who declined to challenge Blatter but is instead backing his rivals, will stand unopposed for a third term leading the European confederation.
The German FA chairman, Wolfgang Niersbach, will be elected unopposed to Fifa’s executive committee, on to which Ángel María Villar Llona of Spain will be re-elected unopposed. The former Manchester United chief executive David Gill is expected to win a seat on the committee reserved for the British vice-presidency in a two-way battle against Trefor Lloyd Hughes of Wales.The German FA chairman, Wolfgang Niersbach, will be elected unopposed to Fifa’s executive committee, on to which Ángel María Villar Llona of Spain will be re-elected unopposed. The former Manchester United chief executive David Gill is expected to win a seat on the committee reserved for the British vice-presidency in a two-way battle against Trefor Lloyd Hughes of Wales.
The FA chairman, Greg Dyke, has said he wants Gill, who is on the board at Old Trafford and Uefa and is also an FA director, to be part of an “awkward squad” who can ask difficult questions around the Fifa executive committee table.The FA chairman, Greg Dyke, has said he wants Gill, who is on the board at Old Trafford and Uefa and is also an FA director, to be part of an “awkward squad” who can ask difficult questions around the Fifa executive committee table.
However, Wales believe that England have gone back on a 2011 agreement by the four home nations which guaranteed their nominee to succeed Northern Ireland’s Jim Boyce.However, Wales believe that England have gone back on a 2011 agreement by the four home nations which guaranteed their nominee to succeed Northern Ireland’s Jim Boyce.
The agreement, signed by the previous FA chairman David Bernstein, says: “The order of rotation shall be IFA (2011-15) - FAW - SFA - FA - IFA etc in perennity.”The agreement, signed by the previous FA chairman David Bernstein, says: “The order of rotation shall be IFA (2011-15) - FAW - SFA - FA - IFA etc in perennity.”
It adds that any changes to the agreement require all four home nations to agree, stating: “Proposals to amend the foregoing terms require unanimity of vote to succeed.”It adds that any changes to the agreement require all four home nations to agree, stating: “Proposals to amend the foregoing terms require unanimity of vote to succeed.”
Lloyd Hughes has made no secret of his unhappiness at the FA deciding to put Gill up to stand. Lloyd Hughes has made no secret of his unhappiness at the FA deciding to put Gill up to stand. He said: “The agreement has nothing to do with Uefa or Fifa, it is between the four associations and the four associations have signed up to that.
He said: “The agreement has nothing to do with UEFA or FIFA, it is between the four associations and the four associations have signed up to that.
“The last line of the agreement categorically states that it cannot be changed whatsoever without all the associations agreeing to it.”“The last line of the agreement categorically states that it cannot be changed whatsoever without all the associations agreeing to it.”
Gill claims the agreement became void after FIFA reforms which mean the British FIFA vice-presidency will be elected by all UEFA members instead of just the four home nations. Gill claims the agreement became void after Fifa reforms which mean the British Fifa vice-presidency will be elected by all Uefa members instead of just the four home nations.
Gill said: “If there was a deal, that then changed after the reforms. It may be semantics but it previously was the British vice-president of FIFA. Now it’s UEFA electing a FIFA vice-president.“ Gill said: “If there was a deal, that then changed after the reforms. It may be semantics but it previously was the British vice-president of Fifa. Now it’s Uefa electing a Fifa vice-president.“
UEFA’s general secretary Gianni Infantino backed the FA’s position saying at a news conference in Vienna that the FIFA reforms meant the agreement no longer stood. Uefa’s general secretary Infantino backed the FA’s position saying at a news conference in Vienna that the Fifa reforms meant the agreement no longer stood.
Infantino said: “We managed to convince FIFA to keep the British vice-presidency as we feel this is part of the history of football but the condition was that the election process should change so instead of it being the four British associations who decide it should be the UEFA Congress. Infantino said: “We managed to convince Fifa to keep the British vice-presidency as we feel this is part of the history of football but the condition was that the election process should change so instead of it being the four British associations who decide it should be the Uefa Congress.
“So the conditions and situations have changed and the representative of the British associations will have a much greater legitimacy as he will be backed by the whole confederation.”“So the conditions and situations have changed and the representative of the British associations will have a much greater legitimacy as he will be backed by the whole confederation.”