The 203 members of football's world governing body FIFA will each receive €225,000 a year for four years, FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced at a press conference in Amsterdam yesterday. Blatter said FIFA's members will now directly benefit from television rights negotiated by FIFA for the last eight years. Blatter further said in the next four years FIFA would provide €230 million for national federations to develop the sport.

A special FIFA commission would ensure the sharing out of this money to each country, he said. Blatter added: "This money is destined for each member, but especially for developing countries. Each country should be able to have stadiums like the Arena Stadium of Amsterdam, football schools and good pitches. FIFA wants to help the small countries." Blatter also confirmed the organisation of a world club championship, set for January 2000 in Brazil, as first revealed in the FIFA executive committee meeting on March 11th and 12th in Zurich.