Soccer:A place at the Euro 2012 finals will be worth at least €8 million to the Republic of Ireland. Uefa announced today that the 16 teams that qualify for Poland and Ukraine will share a prize fund of some €196 million with the up to €23.5 million available for the winners.
Each of the 16 finalists will pocket €8 million euros for reaching the championship, with €1 million on offer for a win in the group stage and €500,000 for a group stage draw.
Victory in the quarter-finals will be worth €2 million, a semi-final victory will add another €3 million to their pot, while the team winning the final will land another €7.5 million bonus. The runner-up will collect €4.5 million. Uefa have also decided to give a €1 million payment 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 explained.
Giovanni Trapattoni’s Irish side currently top Group B on goal difference but the double-header with joint-leaders Slovakia (home) and Russia (away) at the start of September will make or break their campaign.
