Euro 2012 payment for clubs

Bayern Munich has collected the biggest single share of 3.1 million ($4 million) from UEFA's 100 million ($128 million) fund to compensate clubs for releasing players to the 2012 European Championship.

UEFA pleased clubs this year by almost doubling their previously agreed cut of Euro 2012 income, with a 575 teams receiving payments from UEFA for sending players to the tournament in Poland and Ukraine or releasing them for qualifying matches for the tournament.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bayern's chief executive and European Club Association chairman, said Tuesday he hopes his recent improved relations with FIFA President Sepp Blatter can help clubs worldwide also get an increase on their promised $70 million slice of 2014 World Cup revenue.

"We have very good and fair relations to UEFA and I hope that it will be possible with FIFA as well,'' Rummenigge told The Associated Press in an interview.

Rummenigge said he and Blatter - who have traded public barbs - shared an "intensive and interesting discussion'' at FIFA headquarters in Zurich last week.

"After that meeting I am quite optimistic to find a solution,'' said the former West Germany great, who has led calls for FIFA to share more of its billion-dollar annual income and decision-making power with clubs who are obliged to send their players to international tournaments.

"Sepp Blatter told me that he recognizes the clubs as the roots of football,'' Rummenigge said. "You know the roots always need water, and the water has to come from FIFA.''

Bayern topped the table of Euro 2012 payments after it sent 12 players, including eight members of Germany's squad that reached the semifinals.

Real Madrid received almost ?3 million ($3.8 million) for 11 players, including five from eventual champion Spain and three from semifinalist Portugal.

Barcelona received ?2.21 million ($2.8 million), Manchester City earned ?2.07 million ($2.64 million) and Juventus collected ?2.02 million ($2.58 million).

Premier League clubs featured strongly with Liverpool getting ?1.97 million ($2.5 million) followed by Chelsea (?1.91 million; $2.44 million) and Arsenal (?1.69 million; $2.16 million).

Manchester United which sent seven players - though only one semifinalist, Portugal's Nani - trailed with a ?1.67 million ($2.13 million) payment.

In 2008, UEFA and the European Club Association agreed a total Euro 2012 compensation fund of ?55 million ($70 million).

That was increased in March as part of a new working accord which included distributing ?40 million ($51.5 million) among players called up for qualifiers, which paid a lower daily rate.

Compensation was first paid at Euro 2008, when UEFA gave ?4,000 (then $5,000) per day for players who went to Switzerland and Austria.

Negotiations with FIFA will likely be on the agenda when the 207-member ECA next meets in February in Doha, Qatar.

Rummenigge said clubs from other continents, which have no equivalent collective lobbying group, will be invited - and all would be "very curious'' to see how Qatar is preparing to host the 2022 World Cup.