Georgian Billionaire Promises Soccer Team $10 Million Payout After Portugal Upset

Patrick Andres | Jun 28, 2024

June 21, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; General view of match balls before Korea Republic plays against France in the round of sixteen in the FIFA 2015 women's World Cup soccer tournament at Olympic Stadium. / Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

Two days after its stunning upset of Portugal in the European Championship, Georgia's soccer team appears set to receive a substantial monetary reward.

Former Georgian prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, a post-Soviet privatization-era billionaire, told Imedi TV in Georgia (via the AP) that he intends to gift members of the national soccer team 30 million lari for their success—the equivalent of about $10.7 million.

Ivanishvili, 68, promised to pay out 30 million more lari if the Georgians beat Spain in the round of 16 on Sunday.

Overlooked upon its qualification to the tournament, Georgia stunned observers by drawing the Czech Republic and beating the heavily favored Portuguese to reach the tournament's knockout stage. The former Soviet republic, which has navigated significant political turmoil this year, is better known historically for its prowess in sports such as wrestling and rugby.

The soccer team is led by Napoli midfielder Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who opened the scoring Wednesday with a goal in the second minute.