Elite clubs to cash in on Euro 2012

The cash for the 23-day-long European Championships finals comes after a breakthrough agreement between the European Clubs Association and Uefa was struck on Thursday. It almost doubles the amount due to the ECA under prior arrangements, which were struck on the basis of the football clubs receiving €55 million from Euro 2012. It also significantly improves on the Uefa payment of €43.5 million for Euro 2008. The deal buries the hatchet between Uefa and the top clubs and averts the prospect of a European super league breakaway at least until 2018. Last year there was considerable malaise at the top of the ECA over its relationship with the football authorities, and the expiry in July 2014 of the prior memorandum of understanding between Uefa and the ECA had been viewed as a potentially catastrophic pinchpoint for the European football landscape. The new agreement, signed at Uefa’s annual congress in Istanbul on Thursday by Uefa’s president, Michel Platini, and his ECA counterpart, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, extends until 2018. “Today is a historic day for European club football,” said Rummenigge. “With this agreement, Uefa clearly recognises the importance of clubs and the significant contribution they make to the success of national-team football. “The agreement reflects an improved balance between national-team and club football and is a great success for the European football family. "I sincerely thank Uefa President Platini for his willingness to reach such an agreement with the clubs. “Not only ECA, but all clubs in Europe should be proud of this great achievement. "We all look forward to continue building the future of European football together with Uefa.” Platini added: “This demonstrates the excellent working relationship we have with clubs and represents a true success in further strengthening the unity of the football family.” But conflict with Fifa is expected to continue to rumble on. Fifa, which paid clubs $40 million (£25.29 million) from its $1.1 billion revenues at the 2010 World Cup, will not budge on the previously agreed payment of $70 million from Brazil 2014. One of the other key areas of movement from Uefa in Thursday's deal – governance – remains an area of tension with Fifa. The new framework sets up a committee giving the clubs a veto over all Uefa decisions affecting club competitions. Fifa refuses to set up such structures.